Switch
by Christi Carter
Summary: -Complete- An illness makes Aragorn wish to be an elf, while Legolas wishes he knew what it felt like to be human. Neither of them knew that their wishes may be granted.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, I am merely borrowing them, and I promise to return them unharmed. (Hopefully.)  
  
Contact: christi_carter12@yahoo.com  
  
Achieve: Yes, just tell me where.  
  
Warnings: It is slightly (maybe completely, you be the judge) AU, and it will have some serious angst towards the end.   
  
Author's Note: I love reviews, and considering that I am my own worst critic, I will accept constructive criticism as well.   
  
Enjoy!  
  
Switch  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Come on, Estel. We are only a few minutes away."  
  
"Just give me a second." Aragorn tried to collect his strength without his friend noticing. He could tell that he had a fever, but he didn't want Legolas to know. The elf would only smother him, insisting that they take longer in order to accommodate the illness. Aragorn did not want to be babied, and he wanted to reach Imladris as soon as possible, where a warm bed and a hot meal awaited him.   
  
"Are you all right?" Too late, for the blond Mirkwood prince had already noticed.   
  
"I'm fine. I'm just a little cold and the rain isn't helping matters."  
  
"Maybe we should rest."  
  
"No, we need to reach Rivendell before the sun goes down. Come on." The two started at a brisk pace. As the time wore on, Aragorn could feel himself stumbling more often, and he could not stop the shivers that ran up and down his body. Legolas kept glancing at him, but he didn't say anything. When Aragorn slipped and fell to his knees, Legolas was already at his side, ready to catch him before he fell on his face.   
  
"Here, sit." The elf wasn't asking, he was commanding.  
  
"I'm fine. Let's keep going."   
  
"That only works for so long on me. How come you didn't tell me you were feeling badly?"  
  
"I didn't want to delay our return. Now, lets keep going."   
  
"Not until I am sure you are all right." He lifted his hand to touch his friend's forehead.   
  
"I'm fine." Aragorn stood up quickly in an attempt to escape, but he ended up falling back to the ground.  
  
"Dizzy?" Aragorn's only response was a slight nod of his head.   
  
"Headache?" Again, a slight nod.  
  
"Sore throat? Shivers? Joint Aches?" Nods accompanied every question.   
  
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
  
"I was scared you were going to do this. We are only a half-hour from Imladris; please, can we just keep going." Legolas opened his mouth to argue, but Aragorn interrupted him before he could say anything. "I promise that I will tell you if we need to stop. Deal?"  
  
"Do I have much choice?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Deal."  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
The warm glow of the lights of Rivendell were a welcomed sight. The two sloshed up the steps, soaking wet. By then, Aragorn had developed a cough.   
  
"It's not fair."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That I get sick and you don't."  
  
"Well, you should have been born an elf."  
  
"I wish."  
  
"Be careful what you wish for, Estel, it may come true."  
  
"You sound just like father."  
  
"I thought that was a compliment."  
  
"It's not."   
  
"Well, someone gets very grouchy when they're sick."  
  
"I am not grouchy!"  
  
"Whatever."   
  
"ESTEL!"  
  
Two elves sprinted down the stairs, mirror images of each other. Elrond's twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, grabbed the ranger, squishing him between them. Legolas looked on, barely containing his mirth. Aragorn's eyes almost popped out of his head, and he looked like he couldn't breathe due to their grasp. "You might want to ease up before his lips turn blue," Legolas suggested. The twins pretended to ignore him, but they loosened their hold of their adoptive brother enough so that he could wiggle out of their grasp.   
  
"We've missed you," Elladan stated simply.  
  
"I could tell." Aragorn glared at the brothers, but Legolas noticed that he was trying to hold back a smile. He could also see that Aragorn was trying to hide how he really felt. His back straitened, and he put forth more energy than he felt he had.   
  
"You've arrived just in time. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes."   
  
Legolas glanced at Aragorn. He could see through the facade that Aragorn put up. He was terrified. His brothers would go crazy if they found out he was sick. He wouldn't be out of bed for a week, and they would tell Elrond. 'Oh, no,' thought the ranger; 'that would be worse than the twins and Legolas combined.'  
  
"Estel, are you okay?" Elrohir looked at his brother carefully. He wasn't quite the same as usual. Elrohir knew he had seen that glassy look in his brother's eyes before; he just couldn't place why it was important.  
  
"I'm fine. Let's go eat."  
  
"Are you sure? You look a little pale to me." Elladan hadn't noticed anything before, but after Elrohir mentioned his concerns Elladan noticed his brother's condition as well.   
  
"I'm just cold. And soaking wet. I'm going to go up to my room to change, and I will be back down in a few minutes. I would suggest that you change as well." Aragorn chuckled as he looked at the soaked twins. "Serves you right for squishing me while I'm soaking wet."  
  
The twins looked a little unconvinced, but they let it go. "Follow us, Legolas, we'll show you where the guestroom is."  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
During dinner Aragorn merely picked at his food. Somehow, Elladan and Elrohir had forgotten their concerns about Aragorn's health; they were too busy annoying each other to notice his lack of appetite. Legolas noticed, but he said nothing. Elrond noticed as well, but he didn't say anything either.   
  
After dinner, Elladan and Elrohir wanted Legolas and Aragorn to tell them about their journey, but they both said they were too tired. They retired to their rooms for the night, listening to the twins bicker as they got ready for bed.   
  
Aragorn was relieved that he had made it through the dinner. All he wanted to do was snuggle under the blankets and sleep for days. As soon as he pulled the quilt over him and closed his eyes he was asleep. It didn't last long. Two minutes later he heard a soft knock at his door. "Estel?" came the soft whisper from the other side of the door. Aragorn rose from his bed and opened the door, allowing his adoptive father to come in. "I noticed you weren't feeling well at dinner, and ...."  
  
"I feel fine."   
  
"Estel." There was a stern warning in his voice. "I can tell when you're sick. Just let me take your temperature, drink this tea, and I will let you go to bed." Elrond almost laughed as he saw his son's face. Here was an expert ranger, the one destined to become a great king, pouting because he had to subject himself to his father's wishes. "Estel, please." Aragorn opened his mouth to argue, but Elrond was too fast for the sluggish, feverish human. He stuck the thermometer in his mouth before he could say anything. "Don't say a word. Just keep that under your tongue." Elrond turned to the tea, in which he put some herbs, feeling his son's glare at his back the entire time. He took the thermometer out of Aragon's mouth when he was done. "102.1, it's not that high yet." He placed the tea in Aragorn's hands. "It should help bring your fever down and help you sleep."   
  
"Ugh! It tastes horrible."   
  
"Just drink it."   
  
Aragorn drank the rest of the medicine, wrinkling his nose in disgust the entire time. Elrond's chuckling did not help Aragorn's mood.   
  
"What is so funny?"  
  
"You. I wish I had a painting of your face to show Arwen."  
  
"Ada!" Aragron's face made Elrond laugh harder.  
  
"Goodnight. I hope you feel better tomorrow." He left the room quickly before Aragorn could throw the pillow that was in his right hand. Aragorn continued to mutter under his breath about his father's teasing, until the tea took effect and he slipped asleep.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
The dawn's light fluttered into the room. Aragorn only moaned and turned against the intruding light. His door slowly opened; two elves were trying to still their laughter.   
  
"Shh! You'll wake him."  
  
"No I won't. You will if you don't shut up." Aragorn smiled to himself. The twins thought they had a lot of stealth, but Aragorn was always on his guard when he was in Rivendell. Especially in the morning, which was the twin's favorite time to prey upon their brother. He felt them approach. One was near his head and the other was tying his feet together. Before they could do anything else..... "BOO!"  
  
"Argh!!!" The twins screamed in fright, their usually masculine voices going to an unusually high pitch. Elrohir had jumped into Elladan's arms, which had thrown off the elf's balance. The two were now on the floor, looking up at their little brother with menacing stares. Aragorn untied his feet and tried to run away, but Elladan grabbed him by his ankle, pulling him to the floor with them. The brothers wrestled with one another until Aragorn started coughing.   
  
"Are you all right, Estel?" Aragorn could only nod his head, for he could not stop coughing. The twins got off him and helped him sit up. When he was able to catch his breath they helped him into bed.   
  
"Thanks," Aragorn weakly said.  
  
"No problem, little brother."   
  
"Do you want us to get Ada?" It wasn't really a question, and Aragorn knew it. Elladan was going to fetch Elrond whether he liked it or not. However, that didn't mean that he couldn't try to avoid it.  
  
"No, I'm fine." As he expected, Elladan left his room anyway, presumably in the direction of Elrond's study.   
  
Elrond entered Aragorn's bedroom as another fit of coughing subsided. "The tea didn't work?" Aragorn shook his head. As his father took out the hollow wooden tube used to listen to his chest, Aragorn pointed at the twins, hoping Elrond got his message.   
  
"Why don't the two of you go get some breakfast for you brother? I'm afraid he will not be joining us at the dinner table." The two ran out the door. Elrond and Aragorn could hear Elrohir challenging Elladan to a race.   
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No problem. I can't work well with them in the room anyway." Elrond smiled at his youngest son. "Take off you shirt." Elrond frowned as he heard the congestion deep in Aragorn's lungs.   
  
"What is it?"  
  
"There is an infection in your lungs. You're going to have to stay in bed for at least a week."  
  
"Ada.."  
  
"Don't argue with me. If you don't rest now you will be in bed for a month."  
  
"But, I don't feel that bad."  
  
"Estel, don't lie to me. I can see you shivering. And don't think I didn't notice the way you wince whenever you move."   
  
The twins arrived with two breakfast trays then. They were pushing and pulling at each other, trying to be the first to step through the door.   
  
"Here, Estel. I got your breakfast."  
  
"No, I did."  
  
"I did."  
  
"I did."  
  
"Enough!" Elrond's yell was barely heard over the quarreling elves. "ENOUGH!" The twins looked, startled, at Elrond. "Estel is not feeling well. Why don't we leave and let him rest?" Elrond didn't give the twins time to reply, he pushed them out the door, following after them.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Aragorn was so sick he could barely stay awake for more than a few minutes. For three days he stayed in bed without complaint, only waking long enough to take his medicine. Elrond was concerned because he wasn't eating much, and he was concerned Aragorn could become dehydrated easily with his fever. When he twins tried to talk to him all they heard was mumbled gibberish. While the three elves were concerned, Legolas was terrified. He had never been in contact with a sick human before. He stayed by Aragorn's side every waking moment, and the twins had to move a bed into Aragorn's room for him when he refused to leave during the night. His questions were worse. He would report anything unusual that he saw.   
  
"Lord Elrond, his breathing sounds different."  
  
"Lord Elrond, his skin is getting warmer."  
  
"Lord Elrond, he moved in his sleep."  
  
"Lord Elrond, he muttered in his sleep."  
  
"Lord Elrond, his eyelids fluttered."  
  
Elrond was trying his best to be patient, but it was impossible. When he examined Aragorn he kicked Legolas out of the room.   
  
"Father, are you growing tired of Prince Legolas' questions?" Elladan teased Elrond.  
  
"Oh, be quiet. You would be on the verge of pulling your hair out too if you had to deal with him."  
  
"We are. We keep asking him if he wants to go hunting with us, do anything besides sit there, and he will keep staring at Aragorn, answering only yes or no."  
  
When Aragorn awoke from his delirium on the fourth day, Legolas was ecstatic. However, he pestered Aragorn so much he requested that Legolas leave.   
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why? My head is pounding and your constant talking does not improve things."  
  
"Can I stay if I promise to be quiet?"  
  
"No! Go away. Just give me an hour to myself." Legolas left, albeit reluctantly. He stretched his legs, wandering through the palace. He came to the garden, in which he wandered for an hour. When he couldn't take it anymore, and thought that Aragorn had had enough time to himself, he started back for his bedroom. As he passed the entrance hall he thought he heard familiar voices.   
  
"Gandalf!" He rushed down the stairs to greet the wizard. Even though Legolas was over 2000 years old, he acted like a small elfling. "Gandalf, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Just visiting a few friends. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Mirkwood?"  
  
"I'm visiting Aragorn."  
  
"More like baby-sitting," Elladan interrupted. Legolas made a move towards Elladan, preparing to tackle him, but a gruff voice from beside Gandalf made him stop.   
  
"Is this how the elves behave in front of guests?"  
  
Legolas' head snapped up, looking for the source of the voice. "No, Lord Saruman, I'm sorry." The white wizard was an ally of Gandalf, but he had a foreboding aura around him. For some reason Legolas had always feared him. When he came to visit Mirkwood Legolas was polite, but he avoid the wizard as much as possible. He always felt a shiver go up his spine when he was around him. When Elrond entered the room to welcome his guests, Legolas asked to be excused. He raced back up to Aragorn's room, where he found the ranger asleep. He picked up his eight-seventh book and continued reading.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
When Aragorn awoke again he saw Legolas asleep, bent in what had to be the most uncomfortable position ever. Aragorn contemplated leaving him like that, as punishment for his overprotectiveness, but he took pity on the elf and shook his shoulder.   
  
"What? Aragorn, are you okay?"  
  
"I wish I was paid every time someone asked me that; I would be very rich."   
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Sorry for asking or sorry that I am sick?"  
  
"Both."  
  
"Lucky elf."  
  
"What does it feel like?"   
  
Legolas' question was out of the blue, and it took Aragorn by surprise. "What?"  
  
"Illness."  
  
"It is the most horrible feeling. Your head hurts, you can't swallow, your joints ache, your head feels fuzzy, and you're dizzy. And I'm sure there are a few things I have left out."  
  
"I wish I knew what it felt like."  
  
"You're crazy."  
  
"I wish I knew what it felt like to be human."  
  
"Well, I wish I were an elf, but we're not getting our wishes granted, are we."  
  
"No." Sadly, Legolas shook his head.   
  
Exasperated, Aragorn threw his hands into the air. "You're crazy. No one should ever wish to be human."  
  
Neither of them noticed the figure standing outside the bedroom, listening to their conversation. He chuckled to himself in a maniacal way. "Well, little ones, if you want to know what it feels   
  
like to be human or elf, I shall grant it to you."  
  
To Be Continued...... 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Dawn's light broke through the window.   
  
"Ugh, my head," moaned Legolas. He felt like he had been run over by a hoard of orcs. His body ached; his throat hurt. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He rose slowly from the bed, his eyes half closed, trying to block out the light. He went into the refreshing room and washed his face. He called softly back into the room, "Aragorn, how do you feel today?" As he heard his voice he thought it sounded strange. 'What is wrong with me?' he thought.   
  
He heard a smooth, familiar voice call back to him, and while he recognized it it did not sound like Aragorn. "Estel, is that you?"  
  
"Yes, I don't know what's wrong with my voice this morning; it must be the cold."  
  
"Are you feeling any better?"  
  
"Actually, I feel great."   
  
"Strange, because I feel awful."  
  
"Really? I thought elves couldn't get sick." He paused, "I know elves can't get sick."  
  
Legolas grabbed the brush and started pulling it through his hair. 'That's strange, there are so many tangles in my hair this morning,' he thought. He looked at the brush before looking into the mirror. He screamed.   
  
"Legolas! Are you all right?" Legolas rushed into Aragorn's room. When the ranger saw him he froze. "Y....y...y....you're.....you're me!"  
  
Legolas stood with his mouth hanging open. "And you're me!" The two rushed to the mirror on Aragorn's vanity. They stared at it, as if they believed that if they stared at it long enough it wouldn't be true. Aragorn moved his hand, but the reflection showed Legolas' hand moving. Legolas held his head in his hands, his head throbbing unmercifully. However, the mirror showed Aragorn's body holding his head.   
  
Aragorn looked at his best friend. All he could see was himself. He smiled and started laughing.   
  
"I don't see what is so funny right now, Aragorn."  
  
"No wonder you wouldn't let me out of bed. I look awful!"  
  
"Thanks," Legolas said dryly. "I feel like an oliphant ran over me a hundred times."  
  
"You have no right to complain. You're getting better; imagine how I felt yesterday." He looked at Legolas carefully. "Why don't you get back into bed before you fall down?"  
  
Legolas only nodded and started walking back towards the bed. About halfway there he slipped, but Aragorn was there to catch him before he fell. "So clumsy. Are you sure you were once an elf?"  
  
"Your body is the thing that is clumsy. It won't listen to what I'm telling it to do."  
  
"A fever will do that." Aragorn guided Legolas back to the bed, pulling the blankets up to his neck. "Is there anything I can get you?"  
  
"I can get it myself."  
  
"Just tell me what it is and you won't have to get out of bed."  
  
"No, I can get it myself. I will not have you baby me!"  
  
Aragorn stopped and smiled when he heard that. "Does that sound familiar?"  
  
Only then did Legolas relent. "All right, can you bring me that brush? How can you stand to have your hair such a mess?"  
  
"Easily. I don't have the time to brush it everyday like a certain prissy elf I know." Aragorn gave the brush to the glaring elf, trying his best to stop smiling. "Seems like someone gets a little grumpy when they're sick," he laughed. Legolas chose to ignore the statement and started pulling the brush through Aragorn's hair.   
  
Aragorn winced as he saw the elf pull roughly at the tangles. "You're going to pull it all out, and I don't want to be bald if I ever get back into my body."  
  
"What do you mean, 'if'? I, for one, do not plan to stay in your body for the rest of my life."  
  
"I thought you wanted to know what it felt like to be human."  
  
"Well, I should have been more careful about what I wished for."  
  
"I wonder how this happened."  
  
"I don't know. We should ask Gandalf if we see him."  
  
"He's here?"  
  
"Yes, and so is Saruman."  
  
Legolas saw his body shiver. "I suppose you don't like him either?"  
  
"He's just a little....eerie."   
  
Legolas laughed and winced as his head started pounding again. "Should we tell Lord Elrond about this?"  
  
"I don't know. I have a gut feeling that we shouldn't."  
  
"Usually that is wrong and the reason we get into trouble."  
  
"But I'm an elf now. Don't you have a natural intuition that helps you?"  
  
"Okay, but we tell Gandalf, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"Tell me what?" The tall wizard, Gandalf the Grey, entered the room. "I heard that you weren't feeling well, Aragorn. Lord Elrond asked me to come up here and see if there was anything I could do to help you feel better."  
  
The two friends looked at each other, not sure how to approach the topic.   
  
"Is there something I need to know?"  
  
"Well, Mithrandir, a strange thing happened this morning." Aragorn paused, not sure where to go from there.  
  
"Yes, Legolas, continue your story."  
  
"Well, I'm not Legolas. When we woke up, we realized that we...er...we....."  
  
"We weren't in our right bodies," Legolas finished for him.  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"I am not Aragorn, I'm Legolas, but I'm in Aragorn's body. And Aragorn is in my body."  
  
"Are you sure the two of you did not just receive really big bumps on the head?"  
  
"Mithrandir, please, ask me anything, anything that Legolas would know but Aragorn would not."  
  
Gandalf looked skeptically at the ranger lying on the bed. He paused in though, thinking of the perfect question. "What was the name of the elven lady that you thought you would marry when you were a small child?"  
  
"Mithrandir!"   
  
Aragorn saw his face blush a deep crimson. "I want to know, Gandalf. Who was it?"  
  
All eyes focused on the figure in the bed. Legolas muttered the answer so softly even Aragorn with his new elven hearing could not hear what he said.   
  
"What?"  
  
"Lady....," Legolas gave a pleading look to Gandalf, who only smiled. " Lady Galadriel."  
  
Aragorn started laughing hysterically. "You...you...you..." He couldn't get the words out because he was unable to catch his breath.   
  
"It's not that funny. My family was visiting Lothlorien and I fell from a tree. I was only five hundred years old, and she was the most beautiful elf I had ever seen. I developed a crush on her while she splinted my broken arm." However, his face (or rather Aragorn's) had not stopped blushing. Gandalf himself was chuckling, and Aragorn was forced to sit on the floor or fall down because he was laughing so hard. When Aragorn had composed himself enough to stand up he took one look at Legolas and started laughing again.   
  
While he sat in a chair and tried to regain some control over himself again, Gandalf turned to Legolas. "Give him a couple of years, and he will forget it." Legolas only glared at Gandalf. "Well, since you are in Aragorn's body, how do you feel?"  
  
"Awful."   
  
Gandalf took out a thermometer. "Stick this under you tongue."  
  
After three minutes Gandalf took the thermometer. "It's not that bad, only 101.2."  
  
"It feels like 104."  
  
From the corner Aragorn managed to shout, "How would you know? You've never had a fever before," before he started laughing again.   
  
Gandalf mixed some herbs together in a tea. He muttered an incantation before giving it to Legolas. "Drink this, it should help you feel better."  
  
Not knowing any better, Legolas took the tea and drank a huge gulp. His face blanched and he spit it out as soon as the nasty flavor registered in his brain. "Ugh, this tastes awful!"   
  
Aragorn's laughing started anew. "You should know that all medicine tastes awful! Did you never wonder why I put up such a fight when I take mine?"  
  
"I hate being human," Legolas muttered under his breath.  
  
"Well, hopefully, you won't be for much longer." Gandalf started murmuring words in an ancient Istari language. He waved his staff around in a circle before planting it in the ground. There was a blinding flash of light before everything went black.  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: it's really not my best work, but here's the next chapter. I couldn't get what I really wanted to say in writing, so this will have to do.   
  
To all my reviewers: Thank you so much! I really appreciate your comments.  
  
  
  
Marbienl: So many questions! (However, that is not a bad thing.) Unfortunately, I cannot answer all of them just yet. Although, I can and will say that this is not the end; it is just barely the beginning. (I'm giving a hint as to whether Gandalf's spell will work.) Hopefully, I'll answer the rest of your questions in the coming chapters.   
  
Joee: Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Lili: I know I didn't let Legolas experience those things in this chapter, but I promise I will in later chapters, okay?  
  
Grumpy: Thank you for your review; also, good job for figuring it out that it was a wizard who cast the spell.  
  
Deana: Thank you for sending in your review. I promise I'm not done yet.  
  
Hat Trick: I know it isn't that soon, but hopefully it is soon enough.  
  
Elfmage: Thank you so much. I was so excited by your review I did a couple of cartwheels! lol. I will try harder to find a way to remove the symbols. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Aragorn opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times. "Did it work?" he asked. He looked in the mirror. Disappointed, he only saw Legolas.   
  
"Apparently not," Legolas muttered. His head was pounding and the bright flash of light had not helped anything.   
  
"What happened? Gandalf, why didn't it work?"   
  
"The spell was sealed with a very powerful kind of magic. It cannot be broken by me alone."  
  
"Do you mean that we are stuck like this forever?" Legolas did not want to spend the rest of his life as a human. An hour was long enough for him, and he couldn't even remember why he wanted to know what it felt like to be human in the first place.   
  
"Of course not. Where there is a problem, there is always an answer. We just have to find it." Gandalf gave an encouraging smile towards the distraught Legolas. He looked like he could use a little hope. In truth, he didn't know if the spell could be reversed, but he didn't want to tell the two that just yet. "I must consult with a few others, but never fear, we will solve this eventually." He gave another smile towards Legolas, but his eyes had a teasing glint to them. "Until then, I suggest that you do not stray far from the palace; you wouldn't want anyone to realize what had happened." His glance was teasing, but he was extremely serious. The knowledge that the prince of Mirkwood and the hope of the humans were in this position could be dangerous. Gandalf shuddered to think what could happen if the knowledge fell into the wrong hands. He shook himself from his dark thoughts and faced the friends. "I must take counsel with Lord Elrond. I shall see to this when I am done." He left quickly, hoping the two would be able to confine themselves to the enormous building.  
  
After they heard the door snap shut softly behind him, Aragorn turned to Legolas. "So, what do you want to do?"   
  
Legolas' glare was priceless. "What do you 'think' I feel like doing?"  
  
"Well, you probably feel like going back to bed and sleeping for a million years, but where is the fun in that?"  
  
"Out of everyone in Imladris I would expect you to understand. That medicine did not help. I feel worse than I did before."  
  
"Well, while you sleep, I'm going to go find my brothers. They are always able to find something to do." He headed from the door. In the most mocking voice he could muster he said, "Feel better soon," before rushing out the door, never giving Legolas a chance to retaliate.   
  
Aragorn stood outside the door for a few minutes, listening to Legolas mumble under his breath, every word of which Aragorn caught. 'I never realized how sharp elven hearing is. I have to start watching what I say in this house,' Aragorn thought to himself. He silently laughed, skipping down the hallway to Elladan's room. It was the place he would most likely find his two brothers. He was rewarded when he got there, for he found his brothers chatting merrily beside the fireplace next to Elladan's bed. He strode into the room, sitting between the two elves. "What are you talking about?" He was not ready for the response he got.  
  
"Legolas!"  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Shouldn't you be with Estel?"  
  
"You haven't left his side in days!"  
  
"Are you feeling okay?" The last response was accompanied by Elrohir's hand brushing against his cheek and forehead, checking for the fever that he knew was not present.  
  
"Estel kicked you out again, didn't he?" Aragorn figured they wouldn't believe him if he said otherwise, so he played along.  
  
"Yes. Your brother can be very stubborn sometimes."  
  
"Yes, we know." Elladan started laughing. "He can be as stubborn as an oliphant and as stupid as an orc sometimes."   
  
"I know we haven't told you this, and promise you won't tell Estel we told you...." Elrohir looked to Aragorn for conformation that he wouldn't share whatever information he was privileged to; Aragorn nodded his head, urging him to continue. "Well, he was horseback riding in the woods one time, and he got lost. We found him, but he refused to come home until he could find his own way. We left him out there, waiting for two days. When we went back for him he had gotten so lost he had fallen down a cliff, and was unable to walk due to a sprained ankle. Still, he refused to ride with us."   
  
"He had lost his own mount," Elladan added.  
  
"Right. Anyway, he walked home on that ankle. It was swollen and blue for weeks, but he still refuses to admit that he was wrong for not riding back with us in the first place." By that time both twins were howling with laughter, but Aragorn's face started to turn red.   
  
"What's wrong, Legolas? Did you not find it funny?" Aragorn laughed, but only because he thought of the different ways those two were going to pay for that. He no longer wondered how Legolas knew all those stories about him.   
  
"Would you like to come to the main hall with us? There is a huge party tonight, and everyone's going to be there."  
  
"Sure, just let me change my clothes. Is it okay if I meet you down there in fifteen minutes?" When the twins agreed to wait for him outside the main hall, Aragorn sprinted to his room, until he realized he didn't really have any clothes for him in his room. All of Legolas' clothes were in the guestroom. He went in there looking for the green dress clothes he had seen Legolas wear on occasion. He stopped in awe when he looked through Legolas' closet; it was so tidy and organized. He grabbed the clothes and put them on. He rushed into his room to check on Legolas.   
  
"How do I look?" He turned around in a full circle in front of Legolas.  
  
"Great, but your hair is messed up. Why are you dressed up?"  
  
"There is a party downstairs that I'm going to."  
  
"Oh." Legolas looked a little odd.   
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine." His words were soft and he sounded a little....hurt.  
  
"Are you sure?" Aragorn couldn't figure out what was wrong. Legolas' face darkened for a second, but it instantly brightened.   
  
"Come here, I'll braid your hair for you." Aragorn sat on the bed while Legolas tried to find the energy to sit up. He gently brushed all the tangles out and set to work. In a few minutes he handed Aragorn a mirror to let him admire his handiwork.   
  
"Thanks. It looks great. I'll see you in a couple of hours. Do you still want me to come by if it's late at night?"  
  
Legolas' face regained the look of sorrow. "No, I'll be fine. Just go and have fun." He watched Aragorn sprint towards the door, his heart aching to say what he felt but his pride denying it. He told himself he didn't need Aragorn to keep him company; he could entertain himself. However, he couldn't help feeling lonely as saw the door snap shut. The room instantly seemed a little colder and darker.   
  
To be continued....  
  
Author's Note: Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers. You truly make writing fun.   
  
Elfmage: Your reviews always brighten my day. Thank you so much!!! Hopefully the next chapter will have a little more angst in it.  
  
Grumpy: The part with Aragorn not wanting to go bald (Chapter 2) wasn't even in the first draft. When I rewrote that I added it in. I'm glad you liked it.   
  
OBStar20: Thanks for your review.   
  
Deana: I was going to do that originally, but I changed my mind. I always appreciate your reviews, so thank you! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
"Knock, knock." The gentle rapping roused Legolas from his thoughts, but it was unable to completely clear them from his mind.  
  
"Estel, are you awake?" Elrond was concerned for his youngest son. Aragorn usually put up more of a fight when he had to stay in bed. He gently opened the door enough for him to stick his head through and check to see if the ranger was asleep. Instead, he found two silver eyes peering back at him. "May I come in?"   
  
"Yes." The voice was rough, as was expected when he was sick, but it crackled a little in an unusual way. The ranger's nose was a little red, which surprised Elrond because the ranger had not complained of a congested nose. However, he realized with a start that his son had been crying. He had never seen the ranger cry since he was a child.   
  
"My child, what is wrong?"   
  
"Nothing, Lord Elrond." Legolas may not have realized his mistake, but Elrond did. He had never heard Estel call him Elrond, and most certainly not Lord Elrond. However, he wisely said nothing.  
  
"What troubles you?"   
  
"Nothing." Again, Elrond did not fall for it. He could tell that the ranger was hurting, but he couldn't pinpoint why.  
  
"Are you not feeling any better?"   
  
"No. Honestly, I feel worse." That did it. Elrond went into a semi-panicked state as he realized this was not his son. Aragorn would never openly admit to being ill, even if he was on his deathbed. Elrond took a good look at the man in front of him. He was not Estel, but he felt familiar, somehow.   
  
"Well, why don't you tell me what's bothering you, and maybe you'll feel better."   
  
Legolas knew he wasn't talking about his physical hurts, but he ignored the question. "My head hurts and I feel sore all over." He also couldn't stop the shudder that went down his body. Elrond saw it, and brought his hand to Legolas' face.   
  
"Hmm, your fever is rising." Elrond couldn't help his frown. He didn't want to worry Legolas, but his fever should be dropping, not rising if he was indeed recovering.   
  
"How was the party?" The words were soft, barely whispered, but Elrond was able to catch them. He finally realized what was bothering the person lying on the bed.  
  
"It is still not over. Everyone is having a good time, I think." He studied the face in front of him carefully. "Everyone except one."   
  
"My lord?"  
  
"I know you feel left out being stuck in bed, but some things can not be helped." He studied the face really deeply, until realization hit him. "Don't worry, Legolas, you will feel better soon, and then you can join everyone else at the party. I really don't think you missed much."  
  
"Thank you, my lord."  
  
"Get some rest. Goodnight." He rose gracefully to his feet and excited the room. Only after he left did Legolas realize the implication of his words. He stared at the door, wondering how Elrond knew.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Aragorn was trying to be as quiet as possible as he stepped up to his room. The party had not ended until late in the night, and he was one of the last to leave. When he got to the door of the guestroom he threw himself on the bed. He was exhausted, but not like he usually was. 'Elves are so lucky; they do not get as tired as humans,' he muttered to himself. At that thought, Aragorn felt a pang of guilt. He got up quietly and crept into the next room. He watched his best friend sleep, snoring softly. The pang grew stronger. He felt awful for what he had done to Legolas. As he looked closer, he saw tear marks running down his face. "I'm sorry, mellon-nin," he quietly whispered. "I'm so sorry." Aragorn felt like crying himself. He knew how hurtful it was to have all of your friends leave you out of something. He also knew that Legolas would never leave and go to a party without him. Aragorn knew he should have stayed by Legolas' side that night. However, there was nothing he could do about it now. As a tear ran down his cheek he silently pleaded for Legolas' forgiveness.   
  
Legolas had felt the presence of another in his room. He woke up when he felt a small drop of water hit his face. He could hear sobbing in the background. "Please forgive me mellon-nin." It rang in his ears. He realized what was happening, but he was too tired and sore to do much. He could barely open his eyes. As he fell back asleep, he muttered three little words, almost semiconsciously: "I forgive you."  
  
For a moment he thought his ears were playing tricks on him, but Aragorn was sure he heard those three words. He smiled to himself a little. "Thank you, Legolas." He got up and retired to his room. The guilt was still there, but it had lessened greatly.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
The next morning Legolas awoke to find that Aragorn was asleep in a chair in the corner. He looked exhausted, if that was possible for an elf. Legolas quietly picked up the book that he had been reading earlier and patiently waited for Aragorn to wake. He was still asleep when the twins brought Legolas breakfast.   
  
"Shh, Estel may not be up yet," Elladan cautioned his younger twin. However, he found the ranger sitting up when he arrived with the tray. He opened his mouth to give a loud greeting, but was silenced when Legolas put a finger to his lips. He gave a meaningful glance to the figure in the corner of the room.   
  
"Sorry, we didn't notice." Elladan glanced at whom he thought to be Legolas. "What did you do to him? Did you drug him because he wouldn't stop bothering you?" Legolas softly laughed and shook his head.   
  
"I should be asking you. I've never seen him that tired before. What happened at that party?" At the mention of the party the two twins looked at each other.   
  
"You know, he drank a lot of wine last night," Elrohir had a wicked glint in his eyes. Elladan caught on quickly.  
  
"I've never seen him drink so much before. I'd imagine that he will have huge hangover this morning." His eyes gained the same look as Elrohir's.   
  
"What are you guys going to do?" Legolas was starting to fear for his friend. He remembered the first time he had too much to drink. The twins had pulled the meanest prank they could think of.   
  
"Elrohir, go fill the bath with some cold water." As Elrohir started running the presumably near freezing water in the next room, Elladan got some rope and started tying Aragorn's hands and feet together. When Legolas started to laugh, Elladan gave him a threatening glare. "I know you are sick, but if you ruin this for us you will wish you had never been born." Legolas immediately stifled his laughter. "Elrohir, are you ready yet?" Elladan softly called.  
  
"Ready." The two grabbed Aragorn, instantly waking him. he struggled against his captors, but he was terrified to find that his limbs were tied together. He had no time for his groggy mind to comprehend what was happening before Legolas heard a huge splash. Aragorn found himself extremely cold and wet; however it was his aching head that hit him first. The twins' loud laughter did not help matters. He moaned slightly under his breath, which only increased the twins' mocking.   
  
"What happened last night, Legolas?"   
  
"We haven't seen you get drunk since...uh..." Elrohir had to pause mid-sentance, thinking extremely hard.   
  
"I don't think we have since that first time."  
  
"And that was hundreds of years ago!" The entire time Aragorn glared at Legolas, who could only look back, puzzled.   
  
"I'm going to go change my clothes," he said in a huff before storming out of the room.  
  
When he returned the twins had left, hoping to escape before Aragorn got back.   
  
"How come you never told me that elves could get drunk," he shouted. He winced, the sound making his head pound more.   
  
"Excuse me?" Legolas was extremely nonplussed. He couldn't understand how this was somehow his fault.   
  
"You always boasted about how elves couldn't get drunk. I would have watched how much I drank last night if I knew they could."  
  
If Legolas had not been so furious he would have found it funny. "One, I did not expect you to ever be an elf. Two, you should have watched your alcohol intake anyway. Three, how could you not know. You grew up around elves! You've never noticed someone becoming a little tipsy when they had too much to drink?"  
  
Aragorn looked a little taken aback and embarrassed. He knew he should have known, but he hadn't been thinking at the time. He had always thought the elves were invincible to all the little things that bothered humans; it was hard for him to accept that they weren't perfect. He had been really excited to become an elf, even if he knew it wasn't permanent. He had thought that with Legolas' body came absolute freedom. Freedom from pain, worry about his health, and many other things. Now he wasn't so sure. While he pondered this Legolas changed the subject.  
  
"Do you want some breakfast? I'm not very hungry; you can have mine."   
  
Aragorn studied his friend carefully. "Are you sure that you don't want it? Are you not feeling any better?"  
  
"No, I feel fine," Legolas lied. "I just thought you might want some so you wouldn't have to walk all the way downstairs to get something to eat." He tried to smile a little more so that Aragorn wouldn't notice how badly he felt. "Actually, I feel a lot better. Maybe I can get out of bed today?" Legolas didn't know what possessed him to say that, because it was the opposite of what he wanted to do. However, as many times as he told Aragorn that he didn't consider him weak while he was sick, Legolas felt he had to prove that he wasn't as feeble as everyone thought he was.   
  
"If Ada says it's okay." Aragorn's worry increased, but he didn't say anything about his concerns.   
  
"Great! Do you want this piece of toast?" He paused for a second, "And do you want to explain to me why you were in my room this morning?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep. The glow that elves have is so annoying!" Legolas laughed as Aragorn started rambling about how the light prevented him from getting his sleep.  
  
The two chatted amicably until Elrond came to check on Legolas. They waited anxiously for his verdict.   
  
To be continued....  
  
Author's note: Again, not what I really wanted, but I guess it will have to do.   
  
Deana: At least I made Aragorn feel guilty over leaving Legolas. (I couldn't imagine him not feeling bad over that.) Thanks for your review.  
  
Websterans: Thanks for your review. I usually have a little trouble keeping our worlds apart. I will try to do better in the next chapters.   
  
Elfmage: Again, thank you so much for your review. They really mean a lot to me.  
  
Soul: Yes, poor Legolas. Fanfiction writers are always picking on him. lol  
  
Grumpy: Thanks again for your review. I'm not quite ready for them to switch back yet. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
There was a pleading look in his eyes. He wanted to say no badly, but he couldn't. "Legolas, if you are feeling better you may get out of bed, but I would recommend that you wait another few days." The reaction was instantaneous.  
  
"How did you know?" Aragorn shouted from the opposite side of Legolas' bed.   
  
Elrond only gave an omniscient smile. "I know everything, Estel." He wasn't sure, but he was pretty confident in his guess. Apparently he was right. Aragorn's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. Elrond couldn't help his smile. Legolas looked no better, but at least his mouth wasn't hanging open like his friend's.   
  
"But....but...," Aragorn stuttered.   
  
"You two are very bad at hiding things. For starters, Estel has never called me Lord Elrond." Legolas' cheeks blushed a little when he realized he was the one who blew their cover.   
  
"I didn't realize that you knew last night." Legolas was suddenly ashamed for acting like that in front of the elf lord. He would have never done that if he was in his real body. Of course, he also wouldn't be left out like he was last night. No matter what he told Aragorn, it still stung a little.   
  
Elrond glanced at Legolas one more time before deciding that his instincts were right. "Legolas, I want you to stay in bed for at least another day. If you feel better tomorrow morning, then you may get up."  
  
"But you just said I could get out of bed."  
  
"I changed my mind." As he got up to leave he turned to Aragorn. "May I talk to you for a minute?" He beckoned Aragorn to follow him out of Legolas' hearing range.  
  
Legolas was extremely upset at being left out again, but he assumed it was for the best. He impatiently waited for Aragorn to come back. When he did, his face was red and Legolas thought it was best to not ask what had happened.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"What do you want, Ada."  
  
"I wanted to ask you about last night."  
  
"Oh." Aragorn got a sickening feeling in his stomach. He thought he knew what this was about.  
  
"Yes. I am disappointed in you. You know that Legolas would never leave your side if you were sick, and no matter how many times you tell us to leave you alone I can't help thinking that you would be upset if he and the twins left you out of something like that." He glanced at his son, letting his words sink in. "And you know that they would never do something like that. Especially Legolas." The look that he gave Aragorn made him feel like the worst person in the world. He would have preferred it if Elrond had yelled at him. However, after a while Elrond's gaze softened. "Estel, I know that you feel ashamed for what you have done, but there is no use brooding on it. What is done is done; you cannot change it. I suggest you just make sure it never happens again." The elf lord turned and walked away. When Aragorn walked back into Legolas' room he could feel his cheeks burning. He tried to avoid eye contact as he hastily made his way to the chair in the corner. He sat there for a few minutes, thinking about what his father said.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Legolas was unsure of how to shake his friend from his reverie. He wanted to talk to Aragorn, for he was too tired to do anything else. He had almost been happy when Elrond said he couldn't get up yet. Almost. He was incredibly bored. He had run out of things to do. Reading had lost its appeal a long time ago. Picking up a pen to write with took too much effort. That left talking, certainly not his first choice since his throat was sore, but it was the only thing left. "Ar...Aragorn?" His voice was weak, but he still got Aragorn's attention.  
  
"Yes?"   
  
"I'm bored." Aragorn had to laugh at that. The prince sounded like a whining child.   
  
"Well, what do you want to do?"  
  
"I don't feel like doing anything."  
  
"I thought you were bored?"   
  
"I am. You entertain me."  
  
"How am I supposed to do that?"  
  
"I don't know. Tell a joke, a story, stand on you head; I don't care." His voice was laced with sarcasm.  
  
Aragorn pretended to think really hard. Legolas rolled his eyes. When he turned his attention back to his friend he noticed that he was indeed upside down, his arms supporting his entire weight as his legs stood perfectly straight in the air. "There was once this hobbit...."  
  
"Estel, what are you doing?"  
  
"You're the one who suggested that I stand on my head. I'm multitalented. I thought I might as well tell a joke while I'm at it." Legolas started to smile, but Aragorn had a feeling that it wasn't because of him. He turned his head a little in time to see a pair of feet walk behind him. A second later he felt a pair of hands push him onto the floor. He heard laughter above him as he laid sprawled on his stomach. He pushed himself on his elbows and scowled at the elf above him. "That wasn't funny, Elrohir."  
  
"Strange, I thought it was hilarious. Don't you think so, Estel." He looked toward the person on the bed, who was trying to stop laughing. However, his laughter soon turned into a hacking cough.   
  
When he stopped Aragorn sat next to him. "That doesn't sound very good." He let his friend lean on him a little as Legolas tried to catch his breath.   
  
"Are you all right, Estel?" Elrohir was concerned for his little brother, or rather, who he thought was his little brother.   
  
"Yes," Legolas managed to moan. He felt like his chest was on fire. Pain was shooting up and down his body, radiating from his lungs. Obviously the other two did not believe his assurances that he was fine. When he laid back down he started coughing again. Aragorn gently pulled him back up into a sitting position to help him breathe easier. Legolas started wheezing between coughs.   
  
"Elrohir, go get A..., Lord Elrond. Quickly." Elrohir rushed out of the room. Aragorn took some pillows and stuffed them behind the elf. He held his friend's shaking hand. Legolas' forehead was soaked with sweat. Aragorn gently pulled a few dark strands of hair out of Legolas' face.   
  
"It hurts," Legolas whimpered.   
  
"I know." Aragorn tried to soothe him as best he could. "Just concentrate on breathing in and out." He was worried when he noticed that Legolas' lips were turning blue.   
  
"Estel, I can't breathe."  
  
"Shh, don't talk. Just breathe in and out." Legolas tried as hard as he could, but it hurt too much to breathe in too deeply. When he took a huge breath he started coughing. He panicked as he realized he couldn't stop.   
  
"Legolas? Legolas!" Aragorn saw his friend grow pale.   
  
Legolas couldn't breathe; he couldn't think. He felt a floating sensation, and then he knew no more.   
  
To Be Continued.....  
  
Author's Note: Finally, I was able to pull off a real cliffie. Maybe I will take a break from writing for.....a month! (lol, I'm just kidding. I would never do that.)  
  
Elfmage: I am undeserving of your compliments. Thank you so much. I was kind of late at updating this time. Unfortunately, my math teacher doesn't accept "I had to update my story" as a real excuse for not doing my homework. (I tried it on my English teacher too, with no results.) As for your question, I don't know why we love to torture them, but it is a lot of fun. Thanks again.  
  
Shauna: Thank you for your review. I am not worthy of your praise. Thanks so much for your review.  
  
Websterans: I'm glad you liked the update. Of course Elrond knows everything. I couldn't imagine having to live with him. I could never get away with anything. lol  
  
Berry: Thanks for your review.  
  
Soul: Hopefully this chapter explained a lot of it. If not, I'll just plead artistic license. lol Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Evenstar: Here's the next chapter. I promise I won't leave you hanging for too long on this one either.   
  
Restless-soul: Thank you so much.  
  
Seelenspiel: Thanks for your review. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
Darks clouds hung over Imladris for days, but it was nothing compared to the mood inside the Last Homely House. After he resumed breathing, the Mirkwood prince had fallen into a deep sleep from which no one, not even Elrond, could rouse him. Aragorn's father had called it a coma; Aragorn did not care what it was called, only the effects it would have on his friend.   
  
Elrond had other concerns. He loathed thinking about it, but there was always the possibility that Legolas would never wake up. He was concerned about the emotional damage it would do to all of his sons, but particularly the effects it would have on his youngest. He asked Elladan and Elrohir to leave the room, giving him a few minutes with his human son. "Estel, there is something we need to discuss."  
  
"Can it wait until later, Ada?" Aragorn was close to tears and he did not feel he could take any more bad news. He could tell by the tone in his father's voice that Elrond was not going to give him false hope.   
  
"I'm sorry, but we all have to accept the possibility that Legolas may never wake up."  
  
Aragorn turned fiery eyes on his father, silencing the elf lord. "Never say anything like that. Legolas will wake up."  
  
"But if he doesn't, he will not be the only one who is lost." Elrond could tell Aragorn was confused. "Under normal circumstances, Legolas would never be ill. He is in your body, so if...," he gave the man a compassionate glance, hesitating before he spoke. "If he does not survive this his soul and mind will be lost, but so will your body."   
  
Estel was an apt name for Aragorn, for he would not accept his father's words. "This discussion is pointless, for Legolas will survive. He will wake up, we will be switched back, and we will both suffer no ill affects from this." Aragorn would hold to that illusion as long as possible. Elrond could see that there was no way to get through to the ranger, so he quietly left the room to talk to his two other distraught sons.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Aragorn's hope was well placed, for Legolas regained consciousness within a few weeks.   
  
"Ada?" Legolas questioned softly in his slumber. The twins, who still did not know that it was Legolas, and not their brother, was the one who was near death, jumped out of their seats and shouted for joy. Elladan went to get Elrond. While he was gone Elrohir and Aragorn tried to keep Legolas alert enough to talk to them.   
  
"Estel, how are you feeling?" There was no reply to Elrohir's question.  
  
"Estel, please say something!" Again there was silence. The twin panicked in his fear for his brother's health. He gently shook Legolas' shoulder, begging him to say anything.  
  
"Why do you keep addressing me as Estel?" Legolas groggily questioned.  
  
"There's something wrong. He does not remember who he is!" Elrohir shouted as Aragorn tried to form a plan to get the younger twin out of the room.   
  
He was still thinking when Elrond entered.   
  
"Ada, Estel doesn't remember who he is!"  
  
Elrond threw a quick look at Aragorn, who shook his head at what his brother had said. "Elladan. Elrohir, please give me a few minutes to examine Estel."   
  
The two started to leave, but Elladan threw a quizzical glance at Aragorn. "How come Legolas gets to stay?"   
  
"I may need his help."  
  
"Why can't one of us stay. We are his brothers, and both of us are much more skilled at healing than Legolas."  
  
"You two are not thinking clearly at the present time. I fear you would make a mistake in your hastiness to save your brother. Please, just leave for a couple of minutes. I promise I will come get you when I am finished." The two stepped out of the room, pouting in the hallway.   
  
Aragorn leaned over the bed, whispering softly to his friend. "Legolas, can you hear me?"  
  
"Yes. What happened?"  
  
"You have been asleep for a long time. You stopped breathing for a while."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"What do you remember, young one?" asked Elrond.  
  
"All I remember is not being able to breathe." The prince shuddered at the thought. It was one feeling he hoped to never feel again. "Why would that happen to me?"  
  
Elrond picked up a mirror and handed it to Legolas. When he saw himself as a man, not a wood elf, the memory came crashing back on him. "Estel and I switched places, didn't we?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I thought it was all a horrible nightmare."  
  
Aragorn opened his mouth to reply when he heard shouts from behind the door.  
  
"Are you finished yet, Ada?"   
  
"Please let us come in!"  
  
"It's not fair!"  
  
"Please open the door!"  
  
"Are you ready to receive visitors yet?" Elrond questioned Legolas.  
  
The prince felt extremely tired, and only wanted to go back to sleep. Contrary to what he had thought before, he could feel worse than he did a before he blacked out. The pain was still there. The only difference was the crushing feeling that had wrapped itself around his lungs was no longer present. Instead there was a sharp pain that struck when he inhaled, and a dull throbbing the rest of the time. He shook his head no.  
  
"Then I'm extremely sorry."  
  
The twins burst through the doors. "We don't care what you said, we want to see Estel." Elladan wasn't going to take no for an answer. They looked onto the bed, paling at what they saw.  
  
"What did you do to him, father?" they questioned softly. Elrond was surprised at their reaction and turned to toward the bed. He saw Legolas lying perfectly still, in feigned sleep. The only thing that gave him away was the small grimace of pain that he wore and the tension in his muscles.   
  
"I gave him something for the pain, and he fell fast asleep," Elrond lied. If Legolas didn't have the energy to talk to anyone, he wasn't going to force him.   
  
The two were not dissuaded. They sat beside the bed and patiently waited for their little brother to wake up.  
  
Author's note: I'm so sorry for taking so long to update. As soon as I posted that cliffhanger a major writer's block hit me. I have been struggling with this chapter and I really don't like it, but I thought it was unfair to leave you hanging for any longer. So, please do not flame me.   
  
Marbienl: Thank you for your review. It means a lot to me. I kept pushing myself to post this weekend so I would have at least one more chapter for you to read.  
  
Deana: I'm sorry that I didn't post more last weekend, but at least I posted more this weekend? Gets on her knees and begs for forgiveness.  
  
LOTRFaith: Thank you for reading this story despite your reservations. I was a little concerned that the summery would keep people from reading it.   
  
Elfmage: Can I call this slow updating? lol. Thank you for your reviews.  
  
Grumpy: Don't worry, I plan to let Aragorn have fun with his new elven body.   
  
OBStar20: I hate cliffies too. I hope you're not too mad at me.  
  
Jazi: Thank you for your review.  
  
Saihitei Seishuku: I had a friend ask me to do the same thing. However, I have never read one of those fics before and I do not think I could do the genre justice. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but thank you for becoming my new loyal reader.  
  
Starnight: Thank you.  
  
NekoMegami-chan: Thank you for your suggestion. I looked at the thesaurus my computer came with and decided it wasn't good enough. I bought a new one, so hopefully the next chapters will have a broader vocabulary.  
  
Websterans: If only I could answer your questions now. Don't worry, the next few chapters will. Thanks for reading and for your review.  
  
Once'been burned: Thanks for your review.  
  
Va: Very intuitive. I guess you'll just have to wait and see.  
  
Evenstar: Thank you so much. I'm sorry I didn't post sooner.  
  
Shauna: The entire time I wrote this your death threat was in the back of my mind. Thank you (I think) for being the first to give me one.  
  
Elvensong: Thank you.   
  
Stormsaiyan: Don't worry. I couldn't live with myself if Legolas died. Thank you for your review. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Legolas slowly grew stronger with each passing day until he was finally able to get out of bed. With Aragorn and the twins' help they took him out onto the balcony that connected to his room. The twins were laughing and joking with each other. The two were trying to come up with the time the other had been the most frightened or embarrassed. It was immensely entertaining for the other two, who quietly sat in chairs in the corner. They did not want to become involved in that argument.  
  
"It must have been the time that you fell off your horse," Elladan laughed.   
  
Elrohir's bright face darkened slightly, but it soon regained its glow. "When you found out what had happened."  
  
Neither twin had put to words what had happened to Aragorn or Legolas. They called the switch "it" or "what happened." However, each delighted in reminding the other of the reaction they had had to the news. Neither Legolas nor Aragorn had decided whom had the worst reaction.  
  
  
  
~~~~"Flashback"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Estel, I brought you lunch."  
  
"Just put it on the dresser."   
  
Elrohir placed the tray on the table. "So, Estel, are you ready to go fighting orcs today?" he gently teased, knowing that there was still a long recovery ahead of his brother.   
  
"I'm ready, but don't you think it would be best to wait until Legolas can join us?" Aragorn said.  
  
Elrohir's eyes were wide. Suddenly everything clicked together. He stared in disbelief at Aragorn and Legolas.   
  
"Elrohir, are you all right?" Aragorn was worried for his brother. His cheeks were too pale and he looked like he was about to faint.  
  
"You...," he looked at Aragorn, "and you...." His head snapped in Legolas' direction. "You're...you're...you're not yourselves. You are him, and he is you!" The poor elf looked as if he had seen a ghost. The two friends looked at each other.  
  
"We knew they would find out sometime."  
  
"Yes, but I had hoped it was after we were switched back." The two were so engrossed in their discussion that they didn't realize the effect it was having on Elrohir. He slipped quietly off the bed.  
  
The two looked up with they heard Elrohir drop to the floor.  
  
"I think he is out cold." Aragorn leaned over his brother, taking his pulse.  
  
"No," moaned Elrohir, "I'm all right." He massaged his head, trying to rub away the bump that had formed. "Just for clarity's sake, is what I heard before true?" The two considered telling him no. They toyed with the idea for too long, for Elrohir already had his answer.   
  
They also gave Elladan a chance to interrupt. He knocked on the door, and without waiting for a reply he entered.   
  
"Elrohir, what is wrong?" Elladan was upset at seeing his little brother on the floor with a dazed expression on his face.   
  
"They switched." He kept whispering the words softly over and over.   
  
"Elrohir, you're not making any sense." He grabbed his twin's hand and pulled him up. "I'm going to take you to father." Elrohir was unable to resist anything his twin said.   
  
The two made their way to their father's study. "Ada!"  
  
"What is it, Elladan?" Creases of worry touched the elf lord's face. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. I walked in on him in Estel's room, and he was unable to mutter anything except 'they've switched.'"  
  
"And they were in your brother's room?"  
  
"Yes."   
  
Elrond sighed. He had hoped to have everything behind them before they told the twins, if they told them. He patiently explained the situation to the younger elf. When he was finished he sent a questioning look towards his eldest son. "Are you going to be all right?" When he received no answer he called the elf's name. "Elladan?"  
  
"Yes." He sounded distracted.   
  
"Are you going to be fine?"  
  
He gave his father a strange look before he stood up. "Whatever do you mean, Father. I am perfectly fine now. Excuse me, I must go talk to Estel and Legolas." Elladan had a million thoughts buzzing about his mind, competing for his attention. There were so many he went into a complete oblivion to avoid thinking about them.  
  
Elrond was unsure about letting Elladan go, but he still had to care for Elrohir. "Elrohir? Are you going to be all right?"   
  
"I think so." Elrond was glad to see that Elrohir was coming out of his stupor. He started to say something else, but he heard a crash from out in the hallway. "What was that?" Elrohir started to rise but fell back as he felt his father's hand on his shoulder.   
  
"I will go see what that was." Elrond was almost certain of what he would find. He was not disappointed. Picture frames were crooked as if someone had brushed against them as they walked past them. Statues and tables were lying on the floor, as if someone had run into them. At the end of the hallway was a grand staircase with a sore elf lying at the bottom. When Elrond got to the bottom and assessed his injuries the elf spoke to him.   
  
"That wasn't a dream, was it Ada?"   
  
"No, I'm afraid it was not." He smiled as the other elf smiled back at him.  
  
"Please promise you won't tell them?"   
  
"I promise." Elrond assumed them was Legolas, Elrohir, and Aragorn. He helped Elladan to his feet. Elladan laughed at his own clumsiness until his head started throbbing. He didn't notice the person standing over them, watching.   
  
~~~~~~~~~"End Flashback"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You know, I did always wonder how the two of you found out about that." Elladan had been none too pleased to be relentlessly teased by the others.   
  
"Oh, we have have our ways," Legolas whispered quietly. Shortly after Elrond had taken Elladan back to his study Gandalf had come bearing the news. The two weren't sure if he meant to embarrass Elladan or if he had been warning them that their secret was out. Then again, Gandalf rarely did things without considering all the consequences.  
  
The four sat on the balcony until Legolas was tired. Their merry laughter had been the best medicine he had received. However, a little shadow of doubt hung over him. He thought that Gandalf should have found a way to reverse the spell by now, but Gandalf had been so busy he had barely had the time to talk to the younger being. Legolas wondered if he had had time to find a cure or if he was still searching. Or even worse, what if he had discovered that there was no solution and had not told them yet?  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: I'm not sure if this chapter is relevant, but I added it for everyone who was waiting for when Elrohir and Elladan found out.  
  
Deana: You must have perfect timing! I had only posted the chapter ten minutes before I got your review. Thank you so much!   
  
Stormsaiyan: Thank you. I had to write that chapter quickly because I felt bad for leaving everyone with that cliffhanger.  
  
Shauna: I kept your threat in mind this time too. (Did you notice that I updated quicker?) I'm sorry this one was short too. I'll try to make the next one longer.  
  
Butterflyer: Thank you for your review. In case you can't tell, Legolas and Aragorn are my favorite characters too.  
  
Websterans: Thank you for always giving me things to work on in my writing. I really appreciate your advice. (Also thanks for liking my story enough to tear it apart.) : )  
  
Kender Girl and Lix Tin Las: I started writing this story when I was sick. That was how I got most of my descriptions. I hope you are feeling better and thanks for your review.  
  
Evenstar: Not to take some of the fun out of waiting, but I decided to answer your question. Consider yourself and other reviewers who asked the same thing the inspiration for this chapter. Thank you.  
  
Marbienl: Sorry I can't answer any of your questions; I just can't give up my element of surprise yet. Your reviews always bring a smile to my face; thank you so much!  
  
Elven Kitten: Thank you for your review. 


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Just so no one will be confused, thoughts are in apostrophes and dialogue is in quotation marks.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"May I go? Please? Please? Please?"   
  
Elrond had to smile at the prince. He had never seen Legolas beg before. Then again, it wasn't Legolas' face, and he had seen that expression on Aragorn plenty of times. "I'm not sure it is a good idea. You have just begun to heal, and what if something were to happen to you? Or Estel? You two would never be able to be righted. I think it is best for you to stay here until Gandalf switches you back."  
  
"But...."  
  
"No buts!" Elrond interrupted. "Now go back to your room."  
  
"But it's the middle of the afternoon."  
  
"Well, that is how much you have bothered me!" Elrond was exasperated. He had been harassed nonstop since the twins had put the idea of a hunting trip into their heads. Every five minutes either Legolas or Aragorn would disrupt the elf lord and ask permission, hoping it would be the one time he said yes. Elrond wondered if they thought they could annoy him so much he would give in. The more he thought about it, the more he thought their plan would work. He watched the prince leave and started counting. Exactly on time, he saw Aragorn walk into the room. "I have already said no. Now leave me alone."  
  
Aragorn had tried everything he could think of to gain his father's approval for the trip. Tomorrow morning he and Legolas were going to leave anyway, no matter what Elrond said. He decided to switch tactics in order to receive his father's consent. "Father, Legolas had been stuck in Rivendell for so long. I think it would be good for him to get back into the woods again. You know how much he loves it there." Elrond looked like he was buying it, giving the youth the courage to continue. "He needs to practice his archery. It's killing him to think he is losing the skill." Aragorn was worried that his father would see through his argument, but it looked like the elf lord was seriously considering letting them go. "Please let us go. Legolas needs to be free in the woods again. After all, he is from Mirkwood." Aragorn was disgusted with himself for making up that syrupy story. He looked to see if his efforts were in vain.  
  
"Estel, you know my reasons for not letting you go, so I am not going to bother to explain them to you again. Your arguments are noted, but I feel the risk is too great. Therefore, I regret to inform you that my answer is still no." Aragorn's face fell. "You're dismissed. I don't want to hear you ask me again for at least another two days." As Aragorn started to leave he was called back. "Estel, tell Legolas he can come out of his room, but he is not to set foot in my study unless I request his presence. I fear I may have acted a little....irrationally earlier." He returned his son's smile and went back to work.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Shh, you'll wake up the whole house."  
  
"No, you will if you won't be quiet."   
  
"Haven't we heard this before?" Legolas and Aragorn looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "If you two don't stop Ada will catch us." The four crept quietly through the hallways. Aragorn gave his bag to Legolas and headed toward the kitchen. The other three went in the direction of the stables.   
  
As he neared the kitchen he heard someone whistling. 'No! Father's servants are already up.' He turned the corner to see Echuirdur, Elrond's most trusted servant. Nothing could ever get past him. 'It had to be Echuirdur. Couldn't be anyone except Echuirdur. My luck wouldn't let it be anyone except Echuirdur.' He waited for the other to leave. As his eyes scanned the room he saw a small pack already filled. It was on the corner of the counter, just out of eyesight of Echuirdur. 'I wonder who left that?' He snatched it, opening it up to look inside. It was brimming with the group's favorite foods. He hoped it wouldn't inconvenience anyone too much for him to take it. He tiptoed to the end of the hallway until he was sure he was out of Echuirdur's hearing.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"I wonder what is taking him so long."   
  
"Do you think Ada caught him?"  
  
"More likely Echuirdur. He never misses anything."   
  
"Care to make a wager?" Elladan asked Elrohir.  
  
"Your new knife if I win. My cloak from Lothlorien if you win."  
  
"Deal." They quieted as they heard the stable doors being opened.   
  
"Elladan? Elrohir? Legolas? Are you in here?"  
  
"Estel!" they called him over.   
  
"Did you get the provisions?"  
  
"Yes, Elladan, I got them."  
  
"What took you so long?" Elrohir eagerly asked.  
  
"Echuirdur was standing near the kitchen." Elladan sullenly passed his knife to a gleeful Elrohir as Legolas rolled his eyes at the two. "Am I missing something?"  
  
"You don't want to know," Legolas groaned. He looked at how full the pack was. "I thought this was a hunting trip?" Legolas was confused. Usually you didn't pack that much food when going hunting.  
  
"Obviously you don't hunt often with these two. It's impossible to catch anything." Aragorn remembered all the times the game had been scared off by the twins' loud antics. There were many times when they came home empty-handed.   
  
They each fastened their pack on their horse and quietly led the steeds out of the stables. The horses seemed to know that their masters were sneaking out, so they did not utter a single sound until the elves and human were safely out of hearing range of Rivendell.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"My lord?"   
  
Elrond looked up from his book. He expected to see Legolas asking for consent to go on the hunting trip. Instead, he saw a servant standing in the doorway.  
  
"Come in."  
  
The servant glanced around the room nervously. In his thousands of years he had never seen the elf lord become angry, and he did not want today to be the first. "Lord Elrond, I am here to inform you that Lords Mithrandir and Saruman are ready to leave. They are going back to Isengard later this afternoon."  
  
Elrond looked up expectantly. "Did Mithrandir say anything about finding something for Legolas and Estel?"  
  
"No, my lord." The servant saw Elrond's face fall. 'Please don't let him shoot the messenger.' "My lord, concerning you sons and Prince Legolas...."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"They cannot be found. No one has seen them since last night."  
  
"Do you know where they went?"  
  
"No, Lord Elrond." His fear increased as he saw Elrond's face darken. his voice was harsh as he spoke his next words.  
  
"Tell Mithrandir that I wish to speak with him immediately. You're dismissed."  
  
"Please, Lord Elrond, I beg you, please do not fire me over a matter such as this that I had no control over." The servant's skin was paler than usual and his voice shook a little.  
  
"You're dismissed from this room. Please give Mithrandir my message."  
  
The elf gave a huge sigh of relief. He turned on his heels and briskly walked out of the room.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Legolas and Aragorn quietly talked as they walked through the forrest. The twins were not far behind them, but their excessive loudness was driving Legolas insane. "I came on this trip so I could hunt."   
  
As they continued the noise from the twins grew less and less. "Do you think we should go back and see if they are still following us?" Aragorn asked.  
  
"Must we?" Legolas groaned.   
  
Aragorn smiled. "Now, Legolas, you know that we wouldn't want to lose them."  
  
"Speak for yourself."  
  
As they backtracked the woods became quiet. "Estel, I do not like this. Something is amiss." Without his elven senses Legolas felt vulnerable.   
  
Aragorn was extremely cautious too. He pulled out his bow and notched an arrow. Legolas followed suit.   
  
"What do you sense?"  
  
Aragorn peered around them, looking at every detail the woods could provide. He looked up into the trees when he heard a soft snicker.   
  
"What is it?" Legolas asked as he followed his friends glance. His moment of inattention was enough for him to take a wrong step. He heard the crack of a twig breaking beneath his foot; then he felt the sensation of himself being flipped upside down. He hung from a rope tied around his ankle, thrashing to free himself. "Estel, help!" the prince cried.   
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: Another evil cliffie. hehe I appreciate all reviews, comments, etc. A big thank you goes out to everyone who has reviewed any of the previous chapters.  
  
Elfmage: Yes, there will be more Legolas angst. Thank you so much for your review. Reading your reviews are the highlight of my day.  
  
Deana: Thank you for your review. Your reviews are what gives me the will to continue when I get a writers block.  
  
Bratprincess: Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Shauna: Thank you so much for reviewing. I hope this chapter was long enough for you.  
  
Elven Kitten: I was unsure as to which side I was supposed to address this too. lol. Tell all three sides thank you for their reviews.  
  
Marbienl: Don't feel so bad for laughing. (You're not the only one.) I look forward to your reviews each week. They mean a lot to me. Thank you for reviewing my story.  
  
Evenstar: How come everyone always asks me what's going to happen next? I can't tell you; it would ruin the story. lol. Thank you for your review. 


	9. Chapter 9

Just so no one will be confused, thoughts are in apostrophes and dialogue is in quotation marks.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Aragorn could barely contain his mirth as he watched Legolas swing back and forth, suspended from a towering oak tree.   
  
"Aragorn, this is not funny, get me down."   
  
"On the contrary, I think it is quite comical. Wouldn't you agree?" Elladan asked his twin.   
  
Elrohir swung down from one of the branches of the oak, laughing so hard he almost fell a couple of times. "I...I...I...a...a...agree!" he gasped. The wind had begun to blow, making Legolas swing in every direction. His hair was disheveled, the dark locks falling in his face so he could barely see. One of his legs was kicking as he struggled to free himself.   
  
"We finally caught an elf in our trap!" Elladan said cheerfully. "Well, kind of."   
  
"Let me down. Let me down right NOW!"  
  
"We will, we will." Elladan turned to his twin, motioning for him to climb back up the tree to cut the rope, but the elf was still shaking uncontrollably. Rolling his eyes the older twin climbed up to the branch where the rope was tied.   
  
"Elladan, be careful. Don't let him..."  
  
"Oww!"  
  
"Drop," Aragorn finished. He rushed over to his friend. "Are you all right?"  
  
Legolas only glared at him. "Do I look all right?" His ankle was throbbing from where the rope had squeezed too tight, and his foot had fallen asleep. He rubbed his left side, where he had landed after falling to the ground. Aragorn gently took the rope and slid it off his friend's foot. As he helped Legolas rise Elrohir shouted at his twin in elvish.  
  
"You could have hurt him. Were you even thinking?"  
  
"Well, I..."  
  
"You weren't, were you?"  
  
Elladan stared guiltily at Legolas. Then he turned to his twin. "Well, it was your idea in the first place."   
  
"You two do realize that we are still here?" Legolas questioned. Both of the twins flushed in embarrassment. "I am not hurt, so do not worry about it. Come on, let us continue or we shall never get anywhere before night falls."  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
As they made camp that night the four talked about where they would go the next day. Legolas wasn't really paying any attention, just gazing at the stars as he listened to the other three talk. It was one thing that never changed; whether he was human or elf, the stars were always the same. As his head was raised skywards he saw a hawk circling the camp. 'That's odd, usually they do not fly so late.'  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"You wished to speak with me, Elrond?"   
  
"Yes. Have you found anything to break the spell?"  
  
"Of course, would you honestly think I would leave with such a problem unsolved? Which reminds me, where are they?" Gandalf had not seen either of the two all day. He suspected that he knew where they were, but he did not wish to make false assumptions.  
  
"They have decided to leave without my permission. I do not know where they have gone."  
  
"I see." He paused. "I have the remedy if you would like it. I can break the lock on the spell without them so that anyone can do the rest, but they must be present for the last part of the counter spell to work." He started muttering in an old language that few knew. Elrond sat quietly and listened. "It is done. I shall write out the rest and send it with a messenger. I am certain it will reach Aragorn and Legolas safely. I shall be taking my leave now. Good-bye, old friend. This was far too short a time to spend here."  
  
"Please know that you are always welcomed here. Namaarie, and may the Valar protect you on your journey."  
  
"Namaarie."   
  
Gandalf went outside to the courtyard and called to one of his most faithful friends. A beautiful hawk soared into sight, gracefully diving until he landed next to Gandalf. "Please deliver this message to either Prince Legolas of Mirkwood or Estel, Elrond's son." He gave the letter to the great bird, who took it in his beak. The hawk spread his great wings and took flight. "Have a safe journey, for it may be treacherous," the wizard whispered softly into the wind.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
As Legolas watched the beautiful creature float overhead, the others got ready for bed. They unpacked their sleeping gear and were soon snoring softly. 'And yet Elladan and Elrohir say they do not snore,' Legolas thought. The bird was still flying overhead, and since Legolas was unable to sleep he watched it for what seemed like hours. It was hypnotizing, and soon the prince was feeling drowsy. A few minutes before he lost consciousness the hawk flew down next to him, dropping a letter on his chest. Legolas sat and tried to read it, but he was so tired all the words blurred together. 'I guess I will just have to wait until tomorrow morning.' He put the letter in his pack, and said a quick thank you to the hawk before the great bird departed. The last thing he saw that night was the bird's shadow against the sky.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Legolas, wake up."  
  
"Just another five minutes."  
  
"You said that five minutes ago. Now, you can get up on your own, or I can get the twins to wake you."  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"Elladan! Elrohir!"  
  
"I'm up! I'm up!" Aragorn smiled. The one thing that was always able to wake someone up was the threat of one of the twin's jokes first thing in the morning.  
  
After they had packed everything up they continued on their way. After a couple of hours Aragorn realized that he and Legolas had lost the twins. "I think we should go back and wait for them."  
  
"So that I may fall victim to another prank?" sarcastically remarked Legolas.  
  
The two waited. And waited. And waited. When they went further back along the trail the found the twins' tracks, but after following them for a half-hour they deduced that they had climbed into the trees. Even with Aragorn's expert tracking skills they were unable to find the two elves. "We might as well continue without them. I'm sure they can find their way back to Imladris safely."   
  
The two traveled in the forest for what seemed like ages. Legolas' throat was parched and he could barely swallow. The heat was so intense he could barely concentrate on anything. He was so hungry that he could hear his stomach growling. Yet he refused to show any of that to Aragorn. Legolas was used to being an elf without limitations, and obviously Aragorn was forgetting that he still had a human friend. Before the switch Legolas would always take little breaks for the human whenever he thought the ranger was tiring. Aragorn had not been paying too much attention to the weariness of his friend; in fact, Legolas doubted that he even noticed how exhausted he was.   
  
As time wore on the pain from his stomach slowly stopped. Legolas no longer felt the need for food. Ironically, the thought of eating made him feel sick. The thirst was almost unbearable, and he thought about asking Aragorn to stop. He kept pushing himself, telling himself that he could make it:  
  
'It's only one more hour.'  
  
'It's only a few more steps.'  
  
'You can make it past those trees.'  
  
'You can make it another two miles.'  
  
Every time that Legolas made it to his goal he wondered how far his next one would be. He finally told himself, 'Five more minutes. If we do not stop I will ask for a break.'  
  
He never got the five minutes. Which each step he felt more and more lightheaded. His ears started ringing and then he went deaf altogether. One would think it would be quite frightening, but Legolas felt a sense of calmness overtake him. His vision became sharper than usual, but he was unable to see anything except black, green, and white. His peripheral vision disappeared until everything eventually blurred together. He felt weightless and then he felt nothing as he slowly crashed to the ground. Everything was in slow motion as he fell, but he had no memory of hitting the earth. He never even heard Aragorn's surprised shouts.   
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: I want to give another big thank you to everyone who reviews. I want you all to know that your comments are extremely appreciated.  
  
Helena: I think his ankle will be okay, but you never know; these characters have a mind of their own. lol. Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Elfmage: I am undeserving of your praise. Thank you so much! And yes, I do know how you feel about spiders. I have to get my little brother to capture them and let them go outside. When he's not around I sometimes get the courage to do it myself, but that is rare. lol.  
  
Shauna: Of course something evil is going to happen to them. I couldn't let myself finish this story without adding a little angst. ; ) Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Fishton: Thank you for your review. I thought about adding Thranduil to the story, but it doesn't quite go with what I have planned.   
  
Arielle: Thanks for your review. I hope this is soon enough.  
  
Butterflyer: Your wish is my command. Thank you for reviewing. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
Aragorn watched in terror as his friend slowly fell, sliding down the steep incline. He rushed back to help him before he landed in the river at the bottom. Even though he was able to keep the "human" from getting wet, Aragorn was unable to prevent the injuries and bruises that were already appearing on Legolas' body. When Legolas had tumbled he managed to hit his face on some unknown object. There was a bloody gash that ran the length of his nose, leaving a trail of crimson down the hill. His clothing had been torn at the knees, which were also bleeding heavily. Aragorn was thankful that his friend had only mildly scraped his hands and that there would be no debilitating wounds that would keep Legolas from being able to pick up a bow. However, what scared Aragorn the most was his friend's complexion. The prince's skin was pale, almost a translucent color, and a cold sheen of perspiration covered his face.   
  
"Legolas! Legolas, please wake up."  
  
"Go away," he moaned. Legolas' was unable to feel anything. He was unable to think about anything. He felt as if he had a permanent fog in his head, keeping him from reality.  
  
"Oh, thank the Valar." Aragorn let go of the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. Aragorn took out his water flask and handed it to the shaking human. "Drink this," he said as he pushed the container into Legolas' hands.   
  
Legolas didn't have the strength to respond. He took the flask and started gulping down the water.   
  
"Don't drink it so fast. You will make yourself sick. Just sip in." Aragorn gently chided. He took out a piece of string and tied the prince's hair back, trying to cool him off in any way possible. He took a piece of cloth and poured water on it, placing it on the back of Legolas' neck.   
  
After he was reasonably sure that Legolas would not black out again he went back to searching through his pack. "Legolas, eat this." He pulled out a piece of lembas.   
  
"I'm not hungary." Legolas was finally seeing through the mist in his mind. "I'm fine. Let's continue on our way."  
  
"You're not going anywhere until I see to those wounds. Don't even try to get up," he exclaimed as Legolas started to rise.   
  
The prince rose too quickly, for as soon as he was standing the dizziness overtook him again and Aragorn had to grab his arm to keep him from falling. Aragorn gently lowered him back to the ground. "Why do you never listen to me?" Aragorn murmured softly to himself.   
  
Once on the ground Legolas thought it was the best place to stay. He nibbled on the food Aragorn had given him, staying out of Aragorn's way as he cleansed his wounds.   
  
"This may sting a little, but I have to clean the cut." Aragorn expected Legolas to flinch at least a little, but his friend stayed motionless. Aragorn frowned; apparently the elf suffered from shock more than he thought.  
  
As he finished bandaging the knees he moved on to the face. There was a bruise just under Legolas' left eye, but there seemed to be no damage to his vision. The bleeding on the nose had mostly stopped, but Aragorn still put a little gentle pressure on the gash. When he was certain that the blood flow had ceased he began to clean the cut. It wasn't too deep, but there was a slight chance that there would be a scar.   
  
He heard Legolas gasp as he hit a tender spot. "It hurts right here?" he asked. Legolas nodded. Being as gentle as possible Aragorn probed the surrounding area with his fingers. He heard Legolas give another small cry of pain as he touched a space near the bridge. "You may have a hairline fracture, but I do not think I shall need to set it."   
  
As Legolas' face regained its color Aragorn began to relax. They sat there for an hour, simply eating, drinking, and talking. When Aragorn was satisfied that Legolas would suffer no more ill effects they started walking again. "Remember, you are to tell me if you need to stop."  
  
"I shall. Now, will you please leave me alone?" Legolas was tired of Aragorn hovering over him, looking at him as if he was about to break.   
  
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Night descended quickly, so the two took refuge in a tree. Aragorn, who had never liked climbing trees, was elated to find how easy it was with his elvish body; Legolas almost screamed in frustration. He now knew why Aragorn had often requested that they sleep on the ground. His feet kept slipping out from under him, so that for every three branches he moved up he fell back one. Sometimes he would wince in pain as his injured knees jarred against the rough bark.   
  
When they were finally high enough to hide from anything on the ground (which Legolas thought was too far) Aragorn leaned against the tree trunk, sighing happily to himself. 'He can hear the trees,' thought Legolas. 'I miss them so much.' A single tear fell against his cheek.  
  
Legolas hated feeling awkward this far from the ground. It unnerved him; he was used to feeling more at home in the trees than in his room at the Mirkwood palace. He used to be able to stand on the thinnest limb, never worrying about falling. Now the branches shook under him, as if they were trying to unseat him. He was having trouble balancing on the slender limb.   
  
"What!" The sound of Aragorn's cry made Legolas look up. "Legolas, how come you never told me that the trees purposely swayed out from under me?"  
  
"Opps." The prince had forgotten about that. Maybe that was why he was having trouble keeping his balance. "Can you ask them to stop, please?"  
  
"Why should I? Did you?" Aragorn threw Legolas an accusing stare.  
  
"Yes! They just never listened to me." Legolas watched Aragorn close his eyes, and in a few seconds the branch stabilized a little. However, Legolas still did not feel comfortable where he was.   
  
Aragorn noticed his friend's discomfort. "Sit against the trunk," he said as he slid over the give Legolas his seat.   
  
With his back against something solid Legolas felt much better. He finally allowed himself into a light slumber, which was disturbed every couple of hours as he felt a falling sensation.   
  
Aragorn heard his friend repeatedly awake. After the first two times he decided to stay up all night so he could catch the prince if he should fall from the tree.   
  
As the stars started to fade and the gray of dawn made its first appearance the "elf" silently climbed down the tree. Aragorn gave his friend one more glance, assuring himself that Legolas would be fine while he went to go fetch some water to cook breakfast with. Aragorn wasn't going to allow a repeat of yesterday; Legolas was going to drink plenty of water and be well fed, even if Aragorn had to force the food down his throat.   
  
He silently walked towards the river, gathering firewood as he went.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
This time was different; Legolas knew he was in a dream. He felt the same sensation he had all the other times, his stomach lurching as he felt himself free-falling. The wind rushed past his body, whistling in his ear. Unlike the other times, Legolas was determined to not wake up this time. 'I will get some rest tonight.' He could feel the ground getting nearer, waiting for the impact that would wake him. He braced himself, trying to control his dream. When he hit the earth it did not hurt, and he was not pulled from his slumber. He breathed a sigh of relief as he reached the conclusion that his body was still asleep, sitting in the tree.   
  
When he completely relaxed again, certain that he would not wake up, the same feeling of dropping returned. Grasping at thin air to keep from falling again Legolas saw himself go into a spiral that never ended.   
  
He was shaken awake as he felt something hard connect with his stomach. He stirred in time to see himself crashing through the branches, unable to grip anything to stop or slow his fall.  
  
To be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: I'm really, really, really sorry for taking so long to finish this chapter. I just couldn't seem to get what I wanted to write to sound right on paper. I still don't think it was ready for me to post it, but I couldn't keep everyone waiting forever, so it is.  
  
A big thank you goes out to all my reviewers!  
  
LOTRFaith: Thank you for letting me know you were still there. I was beginning to wonder if anyone still read my story. Thanks for your review, and I'm glad you enjoy my story.  
  
Deana: I know, I know. I left a cliffhanger for too long without posting. My most sincere apologies. (And now you have to wait for me to resolve the cliffhanger in this chapter; life it just so unfair. lol.) Thank you so much for your review.  
  
Websterans: I didn't really like chapter seven or eight either. They were chapters I had to force myself to write; they lacked a lot of the inspiration I had for the other chapters. Thank you for your review!  
  
Elven Kitten: A big thank you goes to all three sides for reviewing. By the way, Pirates of the Caribbean is the best movie ever!   
  
Butterflyer: Thank you for your review.  
  
Myth: I'm glad you liked that twist. Thanks for the review.  
  
Coolio02: Hoped this chapter answered you question. I know this isn't soon, but I will try to update sooner next time. Thank you for your review.  
  
Lulu Bell: Thanks a million for your review!  
  
Shauna: Yes, poor Legolas forgot about the letter. I reminded him, but he ignored me. (Characters rarely listen to me. lol.) Thank you so much for the review!  
  
Elfmage: You would be correct in guessing that I have suffered from heatstroke before. (Twice, actually.) Most of the injuries Legolas received in this chapter I got myself when I hit the pavement the first time I blacked out. This chapter is a little joke between the entire marching band and me. After I fainted at practice they were like Aragorn and wouldn't let me do anything. Maybe after they read this they will back off? (Highly doubtful.) I hope your injury is healing quickly. Thank you so much for your reviews!  
  
Marbienl: I keep trying to put in something positive about being human, but every time I try I cannot think of anything. If you have any ideas let me know. I want to bring Thranduil into my story (I have a really great chapter in my head) but it doesn't fit with the rest of the story. Thank you so much for your reviews!!! I look forward to them every weekend.   
  
Jamie: Thank you so much for your review. I dislike almost everything that I write, so it nice to know that someone enjoys it. The hardest thing for me to write is a cliffhanger and suspense, so your review means a lot to me.  
  
Evenstar: Thanks for your review, and thank you for your patience as I am posting this chapter late. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
Legolas heard his arm snap painfully beneath him. His muffled cry reached Aragorn's ears. Aragorn raced towards his friend, despairing as he saw him lying, unmoving, on his stomach. He gently rolled over the man, looking him over from head to toe. He gently pushed a finger onto Legolas' lips as he began to talk. "Just sit against the tree. What hurts?" His look dared Legolas to say he was uninjured.  
  
"I don't think there is anything serious. It's probably just a broken wrist."  
  
'Just a broken wrist,' Aragorn thought to himself. He carefully rotated Legolas' limb, checking for any sign of abnormalities. Legolas winced and took in a sharp breath as Aragorn touched the broken bone.  
  
"There?" Aragorn asked, looking at his friend's reaction. Legolas nodded his head, biting his lip to keep from crying out.  
  
Aragorn noticed the tears in Legolas' eyes, and quickly set to work. He mixed an analgesic quickly, setting the cup in Legolas' good hand. After the prince had drunk the entire cup, Aragorn resumed setting the bone. "I thought you said it wasn't serious," he joked as Legolas glared at him.   
  
"Just finish splinting my arm so we can continue." Legolas could feel his cheeks growing warm.  
  
"Actually, I thought it was my arm." He glanced at Legolas, making sure the prince knew he was joking. "As far as I am concerned, you can keep my body; after all of the things you have done to it I'm not sure if I want it back." He finished tying the split to his friend's arm. "Can you walk, or do we need to rest for awhile?"  
  
"I am fine. I assume we are heading back towards Imladris?"  
  
"I guess we should. We have already gotten into enough trouble for my father to give us a good lecture."  
  
"You mean 'I' have gotten into enough trouble." He gave his friend a small smile.  
  
Aragorn refused to let Legolas dwell in his gloomy mood. "Well, we should pack up quickly. I still don't know quite how far we are from home." He waited for Legolas' response.  
  
Legolas took the bait. "You! An elf! A ranger! Lost?"   
  
"I did not say lost. I just seem to have difficulty remembering where we are."  
  
"In other words, lost."   
  
The two mounted their horses and continued riding towards the general direction of Rivendell.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
After the two had been riding for some time Aragorn made them stop. He had not forgotten what had happened the last time they had skipped a meal.   
  
As Aragorn went to the stream to gather some water, Legolas started making a fire. When he finished he remembered the letter he had received from the hawk. He pulled it out of his pack, breaking in the seal and carefully unfolding it. The former elf was delighted to find that it was from Gandalf. 'Finally, he has found a cure!'   
  
Legolas' smile turned into a frown as he scanned the letter, going back to reread it again and again.   
  
He dropped the parchment, confusion growing in his mind. 'Why would he leave? I cannot do as he asks. It is impossible.' He pondered the letter some more. 'We should continue to Rivendell, and I must never tell Estel of this letter. I cannot do this to him.'  
  
He crunched the paper into a ball, stuffing it roughly into his bag. When Aragorn came back he noticed the frown that Legolas wore.   
  
"What is wrong?"   
  
Instead of denying his feelings, like his instinct told him to, he decided to use this opportunity to ask Aragorn something that had been troubling him for quite some time. "Aragorn...." He stopped, suddenly unsure as to whether the question was wise.  
  
"Yes," Aragorn patiently asked.  
  
"I was wondering...."  
  
After Legolas had trailed off for the second time, Aragorn couldn't tell if his friend was going to tell him anything or not. He had almost given up hope when he heard Legolas whisper.  
  
"I have done so much to your body, harmed it in so many ways. If...if there was a way for us to be switched back, would you want to?"  
  
"What? Of course I would," Aragorn answered without thought.  
  
"Because I would be willing to stay a human until all of the hurts I caused healed." Legolas said that in a rush, so fast that it took Aragorn a couple seconds to compute what his friend had said.  
  
"Well.... That is very generous, but... I don't think that I could allow you to do that."  
  
"But, I broke your wrist."  
  
"I've broken my wrist many times. I'm sure I can deal with the small inconvenience for some time." He gave Legolas a scrutinizing look. "Besides, Ada will be able to fix it once we reach Imladris." Aragorn gave Legolas another look. "Why would you ask?"  
  
"I was just wondering." With his mind made up, Legolas started eating. He wasn't very hungary, but he knew that Aragorn was going to watch him like a hawk while he ate. 'I will wait until we reach Rivendell before I tell him about the letter.'   
  
The meal was an unusually uncomfortable, silent event.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Aragorn had insisted that he take the first watch that night. Legolas had requested to keep watch first, knowing that Aragorn would never wake him when it was his turn. Legolas wasn't sure how he had lost that argument; many of the things Aragorn had said made sense, but Legolas' subconscious screamed that it was irrational.   
  
As Legolas laid on his back, watching the stars, he thought he saw the shadow of an eagle in the sky. Guilt nagged at him; he knew that he should have shown Aragorn the letter. He rolled over on his side, tearing his gaze away from the great bird. 'I'll tell him later. It won't matter anyway.'   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
As he expected, Legolas awoke to the sunrise the next day.  
  
"I thought I told you to wake me!" Legolas was furious, his temper barely keeping itself from boiling over.  
  
"I thought you needed the rest."  
  
"This is the second day you have done this. How do you expect to be able to go two days without sleep yourself."  
  
"I'm an elf. You used to do it all the time."  
  
"And you were the one who always yelled at me the next morning."  
  
"Like you're doing now?" Legolas had to stop his tirade at that. He opened his mouth to say something else, thought better of it, and closed his mouth.   
  
"Do you need any help mounting your horse?" Aragorn asked. He eyed the swollen wrist that Legolas subconsciously cradled. The look he got from Legolas was answer enough. "All right, I was only trying to help." Aragorn mounted his steed, looking at his friend the entire time. He did not miss Legolas' grimace of pain as he jarred his wrist, nor the way that Legolas used his other hand to grip the reigns.   
  
"Are you ready?" Legolas' question shook Aragorn from his thoughts.  
  
"Yes." He urged his horse into a slow trot.  
  
"At this rate we shall not reach Imladris until the next year." Legolas' mount went into a full gallop. He did not bother looking behind him to see if Aragorn was following, every step radiating waves of pain from his arm. 'This was probably not a good idea.'  
  
He was in so much pain he never saw the trap that was lain in from of him.  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: Thank you for being so patient with me. I was expecting to get more time to write over the Winter Break, but then I found out I would be baby-sitting everyday except Christmas. I had less time than I did while I was in school. I wrote half of this on Christmas day, when I was hoping to post, but the inspiration for this story wouldn't come.   
  
Deana: I'm not sure I would want my body back either if I was Aragorn. lol. Thank you for being so patient; your review was the extra push I needed to finish the chapter and post it.   
  
Elfmage: Tell your teacher you were contemplating a piece of literary work that you are currently reading. Teachers always love it when students read without being told to. lol. it probably wouldn't work. I never went to the doctor for my nose, but I have had some people tell me that my nose is a little crooked, and I couldn't put any pressure on it for a couple of months. I guess I'll never know. I don't let people I know read my fanfics, with the exception od two, who happened to find my work by accident and knew it was me. It still scares me that they know how twisted my mind can be. Thanks for reviewing; it brightens my day when I read them.   
  
Aclub: Thanks for reviewing, and thank you for putting me on your favorite's list. i'm sorry that I wasn't able to update quickly.  
  
Lulu Bell: I seem to have lost Elladan and Elrohir. Don't worry, I won't leave them lost forever; I'll send out a search party. Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Joy: Thanks for your review.  
  
LegolasLover2004: Thanks for your review.  
  
Sliverknight7: I'm sorry for taking so long to update. Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Butterflyer: The Return of the King is a great movie. I've seen it twice so far, and my friend insists on seeing it again on Saturday. (At this rate I'll have it memorized.) Thank you for reviewing.  
  
MK: Thanks for reviewing. I'm sorry I couldn't catch him. Maybe I'll have a net under him next time.   
  
Jamie: Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Shauna: You are correct in your assumptions. (Of course there is going to be more suffering before I finish this story. lol.) Thank you for your review.  
  
Elven Kitten: All three movies are excellent. It would be hard for me to pick a favorite.  
  
Lady Legolas: Thank you for your review. Sorry for not updating sooner. I will try to write the next chapter quickly.  
  
KitsuneRW: Thank you for your review.  
  
Lembas Pot: Sorry I didn't update sooner. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Marbienl: I keep biting my lip, trying to keep myself from telling you everything that is going to happen. I promised myself that I wouldn't spill anything before I wrote the chapter. Thank you so much for your reviews; they mean a lot to me. (And no, I couldn't come up with anything good about being human, though I thought about it for half an hour one day.  
  
Vivian Scott: I meant to read some of your work before I posted this chapter, but I have been putting it off for too long. Thank you for reviewing; as a writer I'm sure you know how much each review means.   
  
Restless-Soul: I'm sorry for taking so long to write the next chapter. Thank you for reviewing. 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
The orc spied its prey. 'Silly humans, never looking where they are going.' He smiled as he saw the human's companion catch up with him. 'Well well, an elf too. I shall enjoy this.'  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Legolas, I do not think we should go this way." Aragorn glanced around him. Something was amiss, but his heightened senses couldn't tell him what it was. He thought it would be safer to go another route.   
  
"Why do you think we should turn around. I thought we wanted to get back to Rivendell as soon as possible." Legolas did not want any more delays. His arm was throbbing, and he was having trouble hiding his pain.   
  
"It is not safe to go that way. I think we have gone too far north. We should turn around. I highly doubt that Imladris is in that direction."  
  
Legolas just sighed. He knew the ranger was probably right. Besides, Aragorn had lived his entire life in this area.   
  
"Well, which way do you propose we go?"  
  
"Let's travel southwest. Maybe we will find Elladan and Elrohir. If not, we will be getting closer to Rivendell and will be more likely to find a familiar landmark."  
  
"Or a search party," Legolas muttered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, if your brothers return without us, it is only a matter of time before they send someone to look for us. Do you realize how embarrassing that would be?"  
  
"Not too bad. At least we would be home."  
  
Legolas glowered at him.   
  
Aragorn couldn't help laughing at his friend's serious face. "You are looking at this the wrong way."  
  
"I am not."  
  
"Am too."  
  
They loud bickering carried through the trees, where the danger was listening.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
'So, you are lost, little elf? And your ranger friend also? I shall help 'find' you.' The orc chuckled to himself. Even though their change of direction ruined some of his plans, they were plans that could be amended. He had strict orders from his master to find the human and elf, and, as much as he hated to admit, he was scared of failing his boss. He quietly called to his subordinates, telling them to regroup in another area. 'We shall not fail; it will be their heads instead of mine.'  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Even with their new path, Aragorn couldn't shake his feelings of foreboding. He felt as if something was following them. Pursuing them. Hunting them. He thought about mentioning it to Legolas, but decided against it because the 'human' had not yet cooled down from their last argument. 'Do I have a temper like that?' He wondered to himself.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Slightly in front of Aragorn, Legolas was still fuming over some of the things Aragorn had said, even though most of them were true. He was too absorbed to pay attention to his surroundings until he heard a voice. He stilled his horse, all thoughts of his previous altercation forgotten.   
  
Nothing. He heard nothing. He looked back at Aragorn, his gaze asking if Aragorn had heard the same noise.   
  
Aragorn had, and the sound made his heart race. He barely breathed, concentrating on confirming what he had heard. When five minutes had passed and not another sound had come forth, he relaxed somewhat. "I guess our ears deceived us."  
  
"Yes," Legolas said, unconvinced. They continued, but the two jumped at the slighted noise.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Stupid, I thought I told you to be quiet." Their captain had been less than forgiving when he found out what had happened. "You were supposed to be following at a safe distance. You almost blew our cover. We cannot attack them yet, we must wait for the opportune moment. Now they are alert to every little sound."  
  
One of the orcs, young, brave, but not that intelligent, spoke. "Why must we wait. It's just one man and elf. They are no match for us."  
  
"WE WAIT BECAUSE THE BOSS SAYS TO WAIT!"  
  
The encampment was silent. Few dared to look at their leader. "Now, all of you, back to work." The head orc was upset for more reasons than the rest knew. Their master was traveling nearby, heading home. He had a friend with him that must not know his plans. The orc snorted in laughter. 'It appears there is more than one person trying to keep a secret.'  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Night fell, but neither of the friends wanted to sleep. They were too wary. Aragorn wanted to seek shelter in the trees, and for the first time in his life, Legolas found himself arguing against the idea. He did not think he could manage it with a broken wrist and in a human's 'clumsy' body. Of course, that remark had earned a glare from Aragorn, who sprinted up the tree and sulked until Legolas apologized.  
  
"Oh, come on, you know I didn't mean it."  
  
"Yeah, right."  
  
"Well, if you are so offended by my comment, why don't you tell me what's so great about being human."  
  
"There are many reasons. One... uh.... hmm..."  
  
"See, even you can't find anything!" Legolas laughed.  
  
"Hold on, I'll find something. What about, no, never mind. Or, wait, not that either."   
  
Legolas rolled his eyes as he listened to Aragorn. "Give it up, you'll never find anything."  
  
"Yes, I will."  
  
"Well, we should get some rest. You can take first watch." It was apparent that Aragorn wasn't going to go to sleep no matter what. Legolas felt his eyelids grow heavy as Aragorn's incessant mumbling lulled the prince to sleep.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
The next morning the feeling of danger still had not left. In fact, it was stronger. The orcs had gotten the final command from their master, and their attack was ready to take place. They waited until the two beings stepped into the clearing of the woods, where there would be no trees to protect them.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"We must be getting close." Legolas looked at Aragorn. "Right?"  
  
"I think I know where we are. If I am right, we shouldn't be more than a day's ride home."  
  
"IF you are right. How did we get so far from Imladris anyway?"  
  
"Well, we did walk around in a circle for a while." Aragorn glanced at Legolas, his lips curling slightly into a smile.  
  
"Are you blaming 'me' for this?" Legolas asked.  
  
"Of course not," Aragorn replied, but Legolas heard the sarcastic tone in his voice.   
  
"It wasn't. You were the once who got us lost."  
  
"I didn't say anything."  
  
"You-" Legolas' reply was cut off when an arrow flew past him, twitching as it embedded itself in a tree.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Fools, I told you to wait until they reached the clearing," the chief orc shouted. 'So there is a flaw in the plan. No matter, it makes no difference.' Still, he did not enjoy things going differently than planned.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Legolas pulled out his bow, ignoring the protests of his wrist. Even though he was human it was apparent that he had not lost his skill. Many of the orcs fell, but they were still outnumbered ten to one. As he ran out of arrows he pulled out his twin blades. When he could spare time he would glance to see how Aragorn was. The 'elf' was doing fine, in no need of help. He stood a few feet away from Legolas.   
  
The two did not stop until there were only five orcs left. They each had a few scratches, and both were fatigued, but the adrenaline in their systems allowed them to keep going.   
  
One of the orcs rushed Legolas, his blade outstretched. Legolas spun around, hoping to avoid the sword, but it struck his leg. As he kneeled down in pain, he looked around him. He saw Aragorn, dead orcs laying at his feet. Determined not to let Aragorn's body suffer anymore, he slew the orc that towered over him.   
  
"Is that all?" Aragorn asked.   
  
"I think so," Legolas replied as he scanned the area surrounding them. As the adrenaline wore off, his wrist, which he had forgotten about, throbbed without mercy. As he looked down he heard the plucking of a string. He looked up, meeting the eyes of the creature that had shot the arrow that was flying towards him. The orc smiled triumphantly, and turned to flee.   
  
******"Flashback"**************************************************************  
  
The orc stood in the dark room, reading the letter his master had sent.  
  
"If worst comes to worst, which it must not, you are to kill the human. The elf matters little, although in their current state it wouldn't be significant either way."  
  
The orc smiled to himself. "It will not come to the point where I will have to choose."  
  
******"End Flashback"**********************************************************  
  
The orc chief was displeased. He had lost all of his men, but at least he had killed the human, like he had been ordered. He didn't wait to see the arrow hit it's mark; he fled, chuckling at the thought of the human's untimely demise.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
As Legolas saw the arrow come toward him time seemed to stand still. He knew he wouldn't be able to get out of the arrow's way with his injured leg. He looked up to see Aragorn standing near him, not yet aware of the danger that faced his friend. As he saw the arrow soar towards him one thought came to his mind. He couldn't let Aragorn's body die; it was the body of Isildur's heir, destined to reclaim the throne of Gondor. The knowledge of what was at risk weighed heavily on his mind as he set his plan into action. He sent a silent prayer to the Valar, hoping he was doing the right thing.  
  
Legolas pulled on Aragorn's sleeve, bringing Aragorn between himself and the arrow. "I'm sorry, mellon nin. Please forgive me."   
  
Legolas cringed as he heard Aragorn's cry of pain as the arrow entered his body.   
  
To be continued....  
  
Author's Note: Terrified of all the people who are glaring at her Uh... well....um.... gulp Please don't kill me. At least I didn't take that long to update this time? Stops laughing when everyone is still staring at her.  
  
A big thank you goes to all my reviewers! Your comments mean a lot to me, and help inspire me to continue writing.  
  
Silverknight7: Thank you for reviewing, and a Happy New year to you too.  
  
Deana: Actually, I did notice that it was your second signed review. So I guess I'll have to say thanks twice, right? lol. Thank you for reviewing, they all mean a lot to me.  
  
Elfmage: Thank you so much! I look forward to your reviews every time I post. And as for that letter, I promise to reveal what it said in the next chapter.   
  
Lembas Pot: Don't worry, I will tell you everything soon. Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Coolio02: Obviously you were right, but I decided it was time for me to stop picking on him. lol. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Rouge Solus: Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Marbienl: Thank you so much for reviewing! I wrote part of that chapter for you. See if you can guess which part? lol. And, if Aragorn was to break a wrist to get back at Legolas, then he would have to live with it until they were switched back, and who knows when that will be? Oh wait, I do! grins I was able to follow you perfectly; I have a habit of being able to think faster than I can write/talk, confusing all that are are listening/reading my stuff. And, by the way, that is one of the great things about being an author; getting to leave all those awful cliffies. lol. Congratulations on finding one good thing about being human; I don't think I could put up with Elladan and Elrohir for the rest of eternity. lol.   
  
Lulu Bell: Now that you mention it, I did see a business card from "The Elf Protection Agency" lying on the table in the room Elladan and Elrohir were last scene in. It said something about protecting all the elvish LotR characters from the evil fanfiction writers. Still, I didn't think that would run away from "me." cries lol. Thank you for reviewing.   
  
Shauna: Thanks so much for your review. Sometimes I wish I could be an elf too. My friend and I once discussed what we would be if we were born in middle earth. She told me it was impossible for me to be an elf. in fact, she said I would be a dwarf! looks at Gimli Not that there's anything wrong with being a dwarf. (At least my friend didn't say an orc.)  
  
Jamie: Thanks for reviewing. For some reason everyone wants to know what the letter said. I promise that I will tell you in the next chapter.  
  
AAAClub: Thanks for reviewing again. And (even though it is very, very late) a happy belated Christmas and a happy belated new year to you too.  
  
Butterflyer: I have exams next week, and I'm supposed to be studying for them, but I couldn't resist writing this chapter. (Who needs Pre-Calculus anyway?) The Return of the King is an awesome movie. I am currently broke because my friends/brother/boyfriend insisted on taking me with them when they went to see it, and of course they couldn't go together. I had to "suffer" through the movie three times. Pure torture. (My brother is rolling his eyes at the sarcasm in my voice.) Thank you for reviewing.  
  
OBStar20: I understand. I've been really busy too. Thank you for taking your precious time to review.  
  
Elven Kitten: Thank you for reviewing. Out of curiosity, if you had to pick, which would be your favorite of the three LotR movies? 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13   
  
Aragorn couldn't understand what was happening around him. All he could hear was Legolas' pleas for forgiveness. Aragorn felt himself slowly drifting to the bliss of unconsciousness as the pain became unbearable. His mind wasn't really working, but he seemed to understand that this was the end.   
  
"Namaarie, mellon nin," he muttered as his eyes fluttered shut.   
  
"Oh, Estel, I'm so sorry." Legolas was crying as he pulled out the paper in his pack. He gently unfolded it, looking at Gandalf's message. He read it silently, then closed his eyes and started murmuring what he had just memorized. He could feel his body tingle as the magic took effect.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Aragorn felt his soul start to leave the body. He fought hard, willing himself not to give into death so easily. He needed to be strong. He needed to resist the calling of Mandos. However, the more he struggled the more the calling came. Eventually he had no more strength to fight, and he felt his soul flee the body.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Bright light hit his eyes as he slowly opened them. Aragorn looked around, expecting to see the great stone halls. Instead, he saw towering trees. He blinked again, dispelling the fog in his mind. With the fog's departure the pain came. He couldn't move his wrist, and his leg had a huge gash across it. Aragorn couldn't remember where he had gotten those injuries. In fact, he couldn't remember anything that had happened. He looked around him, noticing the letter he held in is hand.   
  
Dear Aragorn or Legolas,   
  
I have found a way to reverse the spell. I have broken the lock, so anyone can now reverse it, even one of the two of you.   
  
With those words the memories came flooding back. Aragorn continued reading, his eyes never staring from the paper.   
  
Beneath the short paragraph there was an ancient incantation. 'Why didn't Legolas tell me about this?' Aragorn wondered. He gasped. "Legolas." He looked to his side, where he saw his friend's form laying. Aragorn pieced together what Legolas had done. He had sacrificed his life for Aragorn's, knowing he could switch them before Aragorn's soul had gone farther than his reach. Now Aragorn, while injured, was not in any mortal danger. The same could not be said for Legolas.   
  
"Legolas!" Aragorn rushed to his friend's side. The arrow wound was stained a bright red where blood poured freely from it. It had gone completely through the chest, and as he heard the elf's shallow breaths he concluded that one of the lungs had been punctured. The arrow head had a sticky, black substance on it, obviously an orc poison. While most of it had exited Legolas' body, it was still embedded in his skin, allowing the poison to enter his system. Aragorn wasn't sure how long he had been unconscious, but it was enough time for the elf to lose a large amount of blood.   
  
Aragorn reached for his pack, thankful that it was close enough for him to reach without standing up. He pulled out his medicinal herbs and bandages, starting to bind his friend's wound. He was anxious as he did so, knowing that they could not stay the night in that clearing, but he was unsure if he could move them to safety. He gently whistled for the horses, which had fled during the battle. They silently trotted up to him, nuzzling his shoulder with their noses. Legolas' horse was confused as he saw his master, waiting for the prince to get up and on his back.   
  
Aragorn's horse bent down low enough for him to get on. He gently pulled Legolas in front of him, keeping him from falling off. Aragorn urged his horse to start towards Rivendell at the fastest pace possible, leaving Legolas' steed to follow.   
  
After they had been traveling for hours Aragorn's mind became hazy again. He looked down, seeing that there was a tail of blood on the ground from his leg injury. He put pressure on the leg to get it to clot, but it refused to, and he slowly slipped back unconscious, falling from his mount and dragging Legolas with him.  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: I'm really sorry for taking so long to write this. I'm also sorry that it is so short. I've been busy with exams (yes, my school decides to wait for us to come back from Christmas break, so we can forget everything before we take the test) and I've been painting and redecorating my room. I'm starting to think that my friends think I have dropped off the planet. Anyway, a big thank you goes to everyone who is still reading this and to all my reviewers!  
  
Deana: Thank you for your constant reviews. I always check the day after I post, waiting for yours.  
  
SilverKnight7: Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Restless-Soul: I hadn't forgotten you. I'm sorry it took me so long to post. I'm glad I switched them, before one died. (Your review/threat was in the back of my mind while I wrote this.) Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Jamie: This one was meant to be updated quickly. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. Thank you for reviewing.   
  
Elfmage: You are too kind. There is nothing to be jealous of. I'm not that great of an author. I can't tell you if our assumptions are correct (sorry) but I can tell you that I will tell you everything in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reviewing; they're what I read when I feel like quitting.   
  
Cosmic Castaway: Sorry for making you wait so long. Thank you so much for your review.  
  
Lembas Pot: Finally, the question has been answered. They have been switched back! Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Butterflyer: Thanks for your review. I think The Return of the King is an excellent reward for doing a science project. Science happens to be my favorite subject, so it would be like combining my two favorite things!  
  
Lulu Bell: I've put up posters, called the police, everything, and I still can't find them. I haven't asked Galadriel yet, though. Maybe they're with her? lol. Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Lili: Thank you for reviewing. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a long chapter. I'll try to make the chapter longer next time.  
  
Marbienl: Of course I have been watching Pirates of the Caribbean. It is only my favorite movie. (Well, it's tied with LotR.) And yes, I do know that I've been getting more evil with the cliffies. I've been looking over my shoulder for Fror, but I haven't seen him yet. (He's just going to encourage me to write, right?) Congratulations, you guessed the right part, and sometimes I wonder why Elrond doesn't ship the twins to Lothlorien. (I guess life would be boring without them.)   
  
Elven kitten: Thanks for reviewing. Out of all three, I couldn't pick either, but I did have a major problem with the Two Towers. (Faramir is my favorite character; I couldn't believe they did that to him.) The contest between Legolas and Gimli was hilarious though.  
  
MK: Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Evenstar: Thank you for your reviews. They are what inspire me to keep writing when I hit a writer's block. 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
  
Aragorn's groggy mind wasn't able to comprehend what was happening when he woke up. He could hear a fire softly crackling in the background, and there was a soft blanket covering him. As he glanced around himself he assumed he was in a cave, the stalagmites and stalactites giving away his location. He looked at the size of the cavern, noting that it was fairly small. Wincing as he tried to sit up, he heard voices.   
  
"As you can see, we were very successful hunting."  
  
"We? You mean me."  
  
"No, I meant me. I just wanted to be nice to you."  
  
'Hunting? What do they mean? Am I a prisoner?' Aragorn thought to himself.  
  
"Excuse me, I was the one who shot it."  
  
"You were also the one who scared it off so we had to chase it for hours."  
  
"Could you two please stop? You are giving me a headache. The important thing is that you caught it," a third voice shouted, sounding annoyed.  
  
"Well, it is his fault," the first voice said.   
  
"No it's not," retorted the second.  
  
Aragorn was concentrating on the people speaking. 'Those voices sound almost like....'  
  
"ESTEL!" Two identical voices shouted when they saw he was awake. They rushed over to his side, helping him to sit up.  
  
"Estel, how are you feeling?"   
  
"Where have you been?"  
  
"I can't believe you got lost."  
  
At that, Aragorn had to interrupt. "Excuse me, 'I' got lost. Elladan, I fear it was you that was lost."  
  
"Was not." The twin looked outraged at being accused of such a thing. "Elves never get lost."  
  
"Well, it was you that suggested that we go right instead of following Legolas and Estel to the left," Elrohir said.  
  
As the two started to bicker again Aragorn gasped. "Legolas! Is he okay?" He started to stand, struggling against the twins, who held him down.  
  
"Calm yourself, young one," a wise voice soothed.   
  
"Gandalf! What are you doing here?"  
  
"Saving your life, apparently." At Aragorn's confused look, Gandalf continued, "I was the one who found you in the woods. I helped heal you as best I could, and then brought you to this cave. Where..."  
  
"Where we were packing up to go home," Elladan said, a little too rushed to be believable.   
  
Gandalf glared at the elf for interrupting him. "Where you were trying to find your way home after getting lost in the woods."  
  
"We were not lost."  
  
"We just had trouble remembering where we were."  
  
As the two defended themselves, Aragorn continued to try to get up.  
  
"Aragorn, you have to rest." Gandalf was concerned that Aragorn would reopen his leg wound if he moved too much.  
  
"Legolas? Where is he?" Aragorn didn't seem to notice anything around him in his panic.   
  
"Shh, Estel, Legolas is fine," Elladan comforted.   
  
Elrohir pointed to the other side of the room. "He is simply resting, which is what you should be doing."  
  
"Can I g-"  
  
"No, you can not get up. If you want, we will wake you when he rouses." Elrohir tried not to laugh at his next thought. "Or, if you wish, we can drug you until we get back home."  
  
"I..."  
  
"Rest, Aragorn. Even now, you must be extremely tired." Gandalf's voice was gentle and calming, which did not help the ranger rest. If anything, it annoyed him even more.  
  
"No, I'm not."  
  
"Sleep."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Sleep."   
  
At that, Aragorn felt his eyelids grow heavy, until he could keep them open no longer. His soft snores filled the cave.  
  
"What did you do?" Elladan asked.  
  
"Only a small sleeping spell."  
  
"Can you teach it to us?" asked the other twin. Gandalf just gave him an incredulous look, as if Elrohir had asked him to tell all of his secrets.   
  
"No, my young elf, I think that would be too dangerous." He looked over in the corner, towards Legolas. "Besides, we weren't exactly truthful to Aragorn, and I fear he will not appreciate being lied to."  
  
"Is he that bad, Mithrandir?"  
  
"I still haven't found a cure for the poison. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. Somehow, it has been infused with a dark magic that I have never seen before."   
  
"You can cure him, can't you."  
  
"I'm not sure. We may have to hope that Legolas is strong enough to fight it off on his own." At the melancholy looks of the twins, Gandalf aimed for a less depressing tone. "Come, we still need to bandage their wounds." He looked at Elladan. "Will you assist me with Legolas, and Elrohir can finish with Aragorn."  
  
They each went to their respective tasks.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Gandalf."  
  
"Yes." He looked up from where he was mixing herbs together.  
  
"I cannot get the bleeding to stop."   
  
"Put as much pressure as you can on it, for it is the only thing we can do, I fear."  
  
"But, he is so pale."  
  
"Aye, now continue to clean the wound. I'm almost done."  
  
As the last bits of wood from the arrow were pulled free, the wizard leaned over the older twin, inspecting it. He pursed his lips as he began to pour the herbs into the wound. A slight moan from Legolas was the only indication he got that the elf was still alive. His breaths were shallow, and he already looked more deathlike than a corpse.   
  
Gandalf started apologizing to the prince. "I'm sorry, little one. I should have-"  
  
"Nay, it was us that failed them. If we hadn't gotten lost, none of this would have happened." Elladan was not going to let the wizard take the guilt he thought he deserved.  
  
The two were wallowing in their thoughts when Elrohir walked up to them.  
  
"They are not dead yet. Don't mourn ones that aren't lost. You are doing no good sitting there. If you have nothing better to do, you can help me finish cooking the venison." Elrohir didn't allow himself to dwell on despairing thoughts. He told himself that if he kept busy, everything would turn out all right. A little illogical, but he continued to say this to himself.  
  
While Elladan and Elrohir were cooking Gandalf continued to keep watch over the others. The twins were starting to fight again, putting the old wizard at ease. He allowed himself to slip to sleep.  
  
"What do you think happened to Saruman. I thought they were traveling together." The younger twin was puzzled with the absence of the white wizard.  
  
"They were, but I heard that Saruman said he had urgent business in the Shire, so they went their separate ways."  
  
"What could be so important with the hobbits?"  
  
"Who knows. No one ever hears anything about the comings and goings of the halflings."  
  
"Surprisingly content. They never seek adventure."  
  
"Except for that one. What was his name?"  
  
"Which one? The one with the dwarves?"  
  
"Yeah! That one!"  
  
"Bilbo, I think."  
  
"Right. I wonder what happened to him?"  
  
"I don't know. Probably went insane. Probably was from the beginning; he had to be to go with those dwarves."  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
When Legolas awoke he was in a great deal of pain, confused as to where he was. Breathing was a formidable task; speaking was impossible. He tried to stay as still as possible, listening to the voices around him. No one noticed him, as they were involved in a heated argument.  
  
"We can't leave, Mithrandir. He would die on the journey home." Elrohir's loud voice rang throughout the cave.  
  
"We can't stay, or else he will die." Elladan didn't like arguing with his brother on important matters, but there was no way that they would be able to heal Legolas in that cave.  
  
Gandalf considered both their points. If they acted, Legolas could die, but if they didn't act at all, Legolas' fate would be the same.   
  
"We should go," he said at last, with as much confidence as he could muster. "Elladan is right, he has no chance here. We can only offer him a chance."   
  
Legolas panicked at those words. 'Aragorn! I failed him! I-' His thoughts stopped as he chocked on his tears. The salt from them got into his many scratches, burning them. His labored breathing became worse, until the lack of oxygen made his mind fuzzy, and he fell back into the relief of unconsciousness.   
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your reviews. You are all some of the kindest people I've ever met.   
  
Restless-Soul: Me? Scared? (Comes out of hiding place underneath her bed.) No, I knew you were kidding. lol. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Deana: Thank you so much! Your reviews are always so kind and encouraging (and fast, I sometimes find them a couple of minutes after I post) I look forward to them every time I update my story.   
  
SliverKnight7: I thought I was being too mean to Legolas, and that I needed to give him a break. (Laughs, listening to the words coming out of my mouth.) Thanks for reviewing. I used to like school, but since I have to get up at 5:00 am, I've started to like it less.  
  
Elfmage: lol. You should ask my friends about my room. They are so tired of hearing about it. (It's the first time it has been painted in sixteen years, and I'm really excited about it.) It's a pale green color, and soon I'll be putting up a mural with....a forest!!! (Somehow, I have to wonder if LotR made me chose that?) You are completely right, school is evil (especially a certain pre-calculus teacher); fanfiction is much more important. Thank you for your reviews! I love them so much!  
  
After the Rain: Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Jamie: Thank you for reviewing. I'm still not sure about my definition of soon. I hope this was an acceptable amount of time.  
  
Butterflyer: Yes, I know, I'm a science geek. (I actually have the periodic table hanging above my desk.) My friends think I'm insane, but I actually call water dihydrogen monoxide. lol. Your reviews mean a lot to me; thanks so much!   
  
Lulu Bell: I found them!!! Shame on them, hiding out in a cave the entire time. They looked so sad when I found them, and I'm not sure if it was because they fear for the friend's health or their won. I see them sneaking to the edge of the cave every once in awhile, as if they are trying to escape. lol. Thanks for reviewing, and helping me find them.  
  
Feagil: I know, I was disgusted with myself for writing such a short chapter. Hopefully, I will never do that again. Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Evenstar: I don't know if you can use a fake e-mail address or not. Since I didn't want to get a lot of junk main, I got a separate e-mail account (I know Yahoo and a couple of others have ones for free) and then used that address when I registered. (The sad thing is that I get all my reviews sent to that address, so I check it more often than my regular e-mail address.) So far, I don't think I have gotten any junk mail from fanfiction.net or internet weirdoes. (I had to request that they send reviews to my e-mail address.) Thank you so much for your reviews. Reading them brightens my day. I wish you good luck with posting your writing. Feel free to ask anytime if you need help, and let me know if/when you post it so I can read it.   
  
Elven Kitten: Thanks for reviewing! However, no matter how much I may dislike what Peter Jackson did to certain characters cough Faramir cough the LotR movies are awesome.  
  
Marbienl: Thanks for taking time out of your busy life to review. They mean a lot to me, and I know life can get hectic sometimes. Last night I went to a program about reducing stress. (Taught me nothing, but I am one step closer to getting my Girl Scout Gold Award.) The funny thing is, everyone knows how to reduce stress; they just lack the capability to do it. The program said the computer was a stressor, but it is where I go when I want to relax. lol. Legolas didn't switch with Aragorn immediately because he didn't want to cause his friend pain. He felt bad about messing up Aragorn's body, and was waiting for it to heal before they switched back. *Sudden knock on the door, so the evil author hides under the desk.* Fror! He's been following me all night. He wouldn't really hurt me, would he. (That ax looks sharp, though.) And that spiders. *shudders* I hate spiders!!!  
  
Sesshomarul103: Thank you very much. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
  
"Estel, wake up." It pained Elladan to wake his little brother, but they had to start moving immediately.  
  
"Why? Is something wrong?" Aragorn's eyes shifted to the corner that held his friend,watching as Gandalf and Elrohir gingerly wrapped the elf in a blanket.  
  
"No, everything is fine. We just have to go back to Imladris as soon as possible."  
  
"Why?" Aragorn failed to understand the urgency in his brother's voice.  
  
"Because...." Elladan's mind was torn in two. One side screamed that it was the right thing to tell the ranger, but the protective older brother in him wanted to shelter his little brother. "Because we do not want your wounds to become infected, and we have limited supplies here."  
  
Aragorn didn't fully believe his brother, but he allowed the twin to help him up. Making sure he wasn't putting any pressure on his injured leg, he hopped over to his horse. As he started to mount he heard a chuckle behind him.  
  
"And what makes you think you are riding on your own?"   
  
Aragorn glared at Elladan. "Of course I am riding on my own. I am not that injured."  
  
"Considering that the last time you were on your horse you managed to pull both yourself and Legolas to the ground, I will be riding with you."  
  
Aragorn was furious. He was a grown man, capable of taking care of himself. He thought for awhile, coming up with the perfect plan.   
  
"Fine. Now can you please help me up?"   
  
Elladan didn't trust the glint in his brother's eye. He carefully walked up to Aragorn, helping him mount without further hurting his leg. As he started to pull himself up onto the horse's back, Aragorn ordered the animal to trot forward.   
  
Frowning, Elladan started for Aragorn again, trying to get close enough to the animal to mount.  
  
"You're crazy if you think I will let you ride with me," Aragorn called.  
  
"You cannot run forever."  
  
"Want to bet?"  
  
Elladan was getting ready to lunge for Aragorn when Gandalf shouted at him.  
  
"If he is well enough to put up that much of a fight, he is well enough to ride by himself. Leave him be."  
  
Elladan turned back towards Aragorn, who promptly stuck his tongue out at the elf when the wizard's back was turned.  
  
"Gandalf! Did you see what he did?"  
  
"Yes, now stop acting like a child and help me." Gandalf started to pick up Legolas, surprised at how light the prince was, even for an elf. "Elladan, bring me my horse."  
  
As the beautiful creature came to him, Gandalf handed Legolas to Elrohir. He climbed up onto his horse's back, and took Legolas as Elrohir handed the prince to him. The twins mounted their own horses as well, prepared to start.   
  
Legolas' chestnut animal only neighed softly, waiting for someone to let her carry her master.  
  
"I'm sorry, but Legolas must ride with Mithrandir," Elrohir whispered to her.   
  
She only looked back at him with sad eyes, understanding how grave the situation was.  
  
"Why? I thought you said he was sleeping?" Aragorn questioned Elladan.  
  
"Well, he is. He is just so exhausted we don't think he could ride." Elladan hoped Aragorn would accept the half-truth.  
  
Aragorn knew something was amiss, but he didn't push it. They all started riding towards Rivendell, when Aragorn thought of something.  
  
"How did you know that I was me?"  
  
"What?" The twins were perplexed.  
  
"How did you know that Legolas and I had switched back?"  
  
"Well...umm." At this, those present blushed a little, yet had a devilish smile as if they knew a huge secret.  
  
"You talked in your sleep," Elladan muttered.  
  
Aragorn's face grew ghostly white. "What did I say?"  
  
"Let's just say that if we previously had any doubts about your feelings toward our sister, we don't anymore." Elrohir looked at his foster brother, barely containing his mirth.  
  
Aragorn couldn't take the teasing stares anymore, and looked straight ahead for the rest of the day.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
When the sky turned dark, Aragorn had a hard time staying awake. He swayed on his horse's back, and the others feared that he would eventually fall off. Aragorn's exhaustion fogged his mind, so he did not put up much of a struggle when Elladan suggested that Aragorn ride with him while they traveled through the night.   
  
A few minutes after that Elladan heard a small sigh and felt his younger brother relax into his arms, a soft snore shortly following the sigh. 'But he insists that he doesn't snore,' Elladan thought.   
  
As he shifted Aragorn's weight to a more comfortable position, he heard a slight gasp. He looked towards Gandalf and the source of the sound.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
He knew only one thing; pain. He heard a deep, gruff voice above him, whispering words of comfort. He muttered something about being 'almost there' and to 'stay with them'. He wasn't sure who 'they' were in his delirium, but something nagged at the back of his mind.   
  
He only wanted them to stop, so that the jarring motion of the horses would cease. As he wondered why they were traveling quickly, and in the dead of night, he remembered everything he had heard.  
  
"Aragorn," he weakly called.  
  
"He is fine, young prince. Now go back to sleep."  
  
"No, he is in danger. You said so yourself. What is wrong with him?"   
  
Gandalf gave a puzzled glance to Elrohir. Everything he said seemed to agitate the elf further. "Aragorn has a few minor injuries, but he will survive. He is not our major concern right now."  
  
"But you said you had to leave, or else he would die."   
  
Gandalf reflected on the many conversations he had had, finally recalling the one the prince had overheard. His felt tears in his eyes as he realized the misunderstanding. However, he did not have the heart to tell the weak form the truth.  
  
"Aragorn will live. Now go back to sleep."  
  
Legolas tried, but he couldn't ignore the pain that kept him awake. Even Gandalf's spell didn't last long. Elrohir suggested giving him a sleeping potion, but Gandalf wasn't sure if Legolas could survive it combined with the poison.  
  
After hours of watching the prince suffer, Gandalf felt the young elf give one last gasp, and then go limp. Assuring himself that Legolas was still breathing, he urged his horse to go faster.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
In a couple of hours he saw the gates of Rivendell spring up before him, giving him new hope. He looked down one last time, whispering words of encouragement to Legolas. He paled as he saw the blue tinge to the fair being's lips. He tried to find the elf's pulse, but it wasn't there.   
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: I don't really like this chapter, but I had three days off from school due to snow. (A whole half-inch!) Can you tell that we don't get much snow in North Carolina? Our state has declared a state of emergency. (For less than an inch???) I will have to make up the days later, but I had the joy of being trapped with my little brother for three days. (Probably why there are a lot more mistakes in this chapter.) Anyway, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who reviewed!   
  
Marbienl: I spend almost all of my summer breaks (and any others for that matter) behind the computer. I am happiest when it is me, my radio, and my computer. Fror and Anca were very helpful last time, but I kept glancing over my shoulder to make sure Anca was at least a few feet away. I know I will have to grow up sometime, but as long as I have my little brother to kill all spiders for me. (Actually, I get him to catch them and release them. No matter how terrified I am of them, I feel bad killing them.) The twins think I know how to cast the sleeping spell, and they won't leave me alone. If I actually knew I wouldn't tell them, I fear what they would do to me. They seem to be mad at me for getting them lost. As if it is my fault? And I have to know, was it Fror that banged on my door last night at two am?  
  
Deana: Thanks for your review. I knew there was something I was forgetting to do. Read fanfiction! As soon as I've posted this chapter that is exactly what I am going to do.   
  
Silverknight7: Schools in North Carolina are really messed up. (Sometimes I think two year-olds are smarter than our school board.) However, I consider myself lucky; if one of my friend's rode the bus she would have to be at the bus stop at 4:30. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Jamie: Thank you so much. I never really like anything that I write, so your reviews mean a lot to me.   
  
Evenstar: Thank you so much! Reviews like yours are what I live for.  
  
Elven kitten: Thank you for bringing my mistake to my attention. When I proofread I meant to go back and tell everyone how the twins and Gandalf knew, but somehow I forgot.   
  
OBStar20: The only thing predictable about life is that it is never predictable. At least mine isn't. lol. Thanks for reviewing and pushing me to continue writing.  
  
Kandice: Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Websterans: I was beginning to wonder where you were. Thank you so much for your review! The dilemma in chapter twelve was the thing I was most proud of, and you are the first one to mention it.  
  
AAAclub: A holiday without a computer? It sounds like torture to me. lol. My family and friends keep waiting for me to announce my engagement to my computer, or Mac as I call him. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Elfmage: If I could have anything on my wall, it would be a picture of the Grey Havens. That was one of my favorite scenes in the Return of the King. Anyway, you are way too kind. My work isn't worthy of your praise. There is nothing for you to cry about. Thank you so much for your reviews!  
  
Lulu Bell: Aragorn? What about me? The twins have been giving me evil looks ever since I found them. For some reason they think I'm the reason that they were lost. If they ever got their hands on that sleeping spell shudders I would probably never wake up.   
  
MK: Thank you so much!  
  
Marsha: (Yes, that's you. I thought I would use Sarah's nickname. lol.) Well, thank you for saying that the fluffiness has gone down some, as well as the lack of slash elements. (Even though there were none to begin with.) With the exception of those two things, your advice has always been of great help to me. 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
Gandalf's horse had barely stopped before he had dismounted. He rushed up the stairs of the grand structure before him, the limp body of the elf prince in his arms.  
  
He laid Legolas on a bed, trying to get him to start breathing again, and called for one of the servants to get Elrond.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
He couldn't concentrate. There was an ominous feeling in the air. He looked out the window at the rain that had begun to fall, the dark clouds making it seem like it was already night.   
  
'I think we have already had enough rain,' Elrond thought to himself. 'Aragorn, or rather Legolas, might catch a cold if they decide to stay out much longer.' He allowed himself an amused chuckle. He didn't really believe that the twins would allow such a thing to happen.   
  
'No, most likely they have run into orcs and will need to be patched up as soon as they come back.' When his sons left the palace for any reason, Elrond always had healing potions waiting for them upon their return. Sadly, he didn't realize how true his thoughts were.   
  
He glanced out the window once again, seeing riders approaching with great haste. He was confused when he realized that one of them was Gandalf, but that soon turned into panic as he saw the blond figure that was sitting in front of him.  
  
'Aragorn!' He rushed out of the door, meeting the servants at the bottom of the stairs. Before they had time to tell him their message he had brushed past them in search of the injured elf.   
  
Gandalf was relieved to see him, his lips parting to tell the elf lord what happened, but never getting the opportunity to speak. Elrond immediately started to pound on the elf's chest, trying to get his heart to start beating again. He breathed into the still form, tears in his eyes.   
  
'I cannot lose him now, not yet. It is not his time.' After four more compressions he gave another breath. He continued for a few more minutes, but to him it seemed like an eternity.   
  
He had almost given up when he heard a strangled gasp and, finally, the sound of inhalation, not caring how shallow it was. He felt for a pulse and found one. Sighing in relief, he started to examine the wounds.   
  
Gandalf started forward, trying to prepare himself. "Elrond...."  
  
"Please, Gandalf, I need to be alone right now."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Please." Elrond was still shaken from the incident. While his sons always came home hurt, sometimes on the brink of death, one had never stopped breathing for that long a time. When the wizard did not appear to be leaving, Elrond stood up and gently pushed him out, locking the door behind himself, all the while Gandalf was trying to explain to him that the spell was reversed.  
  
Elrond didn't hear a word, and tuned him out as he went back to keep his vigil over the one in the bed. He started mixing herbs together, trying to find something that would get rid of the orc poison.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Elladan was helping Aragorn off his horse after waking him, noticing that the ranger was thoroughly soaked. He gave the human a worried look.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Well, we need to get you warm and dry as soon as possible." The twins let Aragorn put most of his weight on them, trying to prevent him from moving his leg.   
  
He wanted to go see Legolas, and even though the twins tried to stop him, he headed in the direction he had seen Gandalf go. He stopped outside a great door, getting some amusement from the sight of the wizard, who was muttering to himself outside the door.   
  
"Is he all right?" Aragorn, of course, didn't know the danger that still surrounded his friend.  
  
"I'm sure he will be. Your father is in there now."  
  
"Then why do you look so cross?"  
  
"Because, young human, that father of yours was so worried he wouldn't even listen to me. He thinks it is you in there instead of Legolas."   
  
When the twins heard this they started pounding on the door. "Ada!"   
  
"Estel-" Elladan was interrupted by his twin.  
  
"-is fine!"   
  
Annoyed, Elladan started again. "He is-"  
  
"-right outside the door."  
  
Glaring at Elrohir, Elladan tried once again to finish a sentence. "Legolas and Estel-"  
  
"-have switched back." Elladan couldn't take it anymore. He lunged for his brother, tackling him to the ground. When Elladan was declared the victor, they guided their human brother to his room.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Elrond didn't hear anything taking place outside his door. He was too intent in making sure he used the right amount of ingredients in the medicine for Legolas. As he was stirring the powder into some tea, the figure in the bed stirred.  
  
"Aragorn, my son, how are you?"  
  
Legolas was dumbfounded. 'I thought we had switched back. Was it only a dream?'  
  
"Lord Elrond, I am not Estel."  
  
Elrond wasn't really paying any attention. "Hush, now. Save up your strength. Rest while I try to find an anecdote for the poison."  
  
Legolas was going to explain further, but Elrond pushed the cup of medicine into his hands, not allowing him to speak until all the contents were gone. As he opened his mouth to talk he felt an overwhelming dizziness overtake him. The room spun around him. He felt his chest constrict, and it felt as if his tongue was swelling.   
  
Elrond noticed the change immediately, growing furious with himself. Legolas had developed a severe reaction to one of the herbs he had used. He looked at the ingredients again, realizing too late that one of them interacted with another herb he had used earlier. He grabbed another plant that would counteract the reaction. It would be painful, but at least the elf would have a chance of surviving.   
  
Legolas forced the vile weed down his throat, choking on it. He felt his airways become less tight, allowing his panic to subside; but without concentrating on breathing, the pain came back to him, magnified tenfold. Elrond leaned over him, placing a soothing hand on his forehead. "Rest."  
  
Whether from the pain or by elf lord's power, the young Mirkwood prince went limp.  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
Author's Note: I'm sorry it took so long for me to update, especially after that major cliffhanger. I usually write most of my chapters on the weekends, in which I finish and edit during the week. However, last weekend I was home for a grand total of two hours, and I wasn't able to get on the computer at that time. A huge thank you goes to everyone who reviewed, for that was the reason that I forced myself to continue. I do not like this chapter, and I do not feel that it is ready to be posted yet, but I feel I have made you wait long enough.  
  
Lulu Bell: Of course I am worried about the angry reviewers. That's why there is a huge apology at the bottom. lol. Legolas may be angry enough to try to roast me over a fire. Looks over her shoulder at an elf, who is trying to look innocent. Probably has Aragorn helping him too. Whispers I'll try to keep him busy while you untie yourself. lol. Thank you for reviewing; your reviews mean a lot to me, and they always brighten my day.   
  
Jamie: I know my cliffie was evil. I think there is something about me that refuses to end a chapter without at least a mild cliffhanger. One of friends told me that I was getting very good at it. Thank you for reviewing, even though it was only to tell me that I was evil. lol. Anyway, about the snow; in Charlotte we get snow maybe once a year, two or three times if we're lucky. Since we do not own snow plows or any other device that we would use for clearing the roads, when it snows, everything stops. (Which is great for me, with the exception that I have to make up missed school days.)  
  
Deana: Thank you for reviewing. I'm sorry about not posting earlier. I had a teacher from Rhode Island once, and he said the exact same thing you did when we got out for a couple of days because of snow.   
  
AAAClub: It was my turn to be tortured this week. Life without the computer is awful! lol. Thank you for reviewing, and I'm sorry it took me so long to update.   
  
Mooshka: For me, snow is a novelty because it only snows two or three times a year where I live. It is hard for me to imagine places where there is snow on the ground for the entire winter. However, it is fun to play in, even though is is really, really, really cold. And, I don't know if you want to know or not, but since I had to memorize these formulas I thought I might as well share the knowledge. To find the temperature in Fahrenheit, you multiply the temperature in Celsius by 9/5 and then add 32. (I'm a math and science geek.) lol. Anyway, thank you for reviewing!  
  
Elanor: Thank you so much for your review!!! It made my day to read it.  
  
Websterans: lol. Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Kandice: Sorry, I took longer than a week. Before you get too jealous of me, keep in mind that I lose part of my spring break when we miss school days. Last year we went to school everyday for five months (not counting weekends) with the exceptions of a few days off for what they called "spring break". Anyway, thank you for reviewing.  
  
Elven Kitten: Don't ever hesitate to correct me. I love constructive criticism. Thank you so much!!! And look, I even helped Legolas, so now you don't have to torture me. Right? lol.  
  
Rae: Thank you for reviewing. I may complain, but it's only because I don't want to make up the snow days. lol. I haven't had anyone review from someone so close to me. (or who had my middle name.) I can't wait to get out of the CMS school system, and into college. chants to herself Only two more years.  
  
Marbienl: I had never thought about Legolas talking about Arwen in his sleep. I am trying to stop laughing after thinking about it.  
  
Legolas: Why are you guys staring at me?  
  
Twins smile  
  
Legolas: What are you going to do.  
  
Twins: We're going to tell Aragorn what you said in your sleep.  
  
Legolas: (considerably paler) What did I say?  
  
lol. I have been paranoid about my shampoo since you wrote that. I still think they are planning something worse. (I've caught them laughing and whispering, and then it stops when I enter the room.) I'm glad that talking to the spiders worked. Maybe I will have to ask them to leave me alone next time they start crawling toward me. Fror has won over my brother, and now the two are trying to scare me. They put shivers spiders outside my door, and my brother gave Fror the key to my room. (And I do not have a balcony, but I do have window ledge that I have seen him on.) lol. Thank you for your reviews, and I made sure that Legolas was alive at the end of this one.  
  
Butterflyer: Thank you so much for your review. I've been to Chicago before, and I can say that you are definitely more prepared to deal with snow that we southerners are. 


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
  
The twins were a little concerned when they saw their brother weave as he walked. They were relieved when they finally reached his bedroom, where Aragorn almost threw himself on the bed. With a small chuckle, the two brothers removed their youngest sibling's shoes, bringing him a nightshirt and telling him goodnight. They left quietly, knowing their brother would fall asleep quickly.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
In the morning, Legolas awoke to a sharp pain in his shoulder. He moaned softly.   
  
"Shh, Estel."   
  
'Estel,' wondered Legolas. He opened his eyes to find Elrond leaning over him.  
  
"Stay still. Your wound is very grievous and the smallest movement could reopen it."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Be quiet, my son. You returned late last night."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Hush. Legolas and the twins are probably worried about you. I will send them in soon."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Drink this, it should help with the pain." Elrond pushed a cup into Legolas' good hand. While Legolas was trying to figure out how to move without jostling his injured shoulder too much, Elrond went to the door and called one of the servants. "Please fetch my sons, they will want to know that their friend is well." Echuirdur nodded and left, heading toward Aragorn's room.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
When Echuirdur got to Estel's sleeping quarters, he found the entry blocked by two identical elves, sleeping with their backs against the door. Echuirdur hated to wake them, for they looked like they had had a trying night, but he could hear a muffled cough coming through the door. He knocked gently on the mahogany panel, hoping that the twins could still sleep through almost anything like they could when they were younger.  
  
"Estel, are you all right?"  
  
"Yes," a voice croaked.  
  
"You don't sound well."  
  
"I think I caught a cold from the rain last night." Echuirdur heard a sneeze.   
  
"Do you want me to fix you a cup of tea?"  
  
Aragorn thought about refusing, but he decided being able to breathe properly came before his pride. "Yes, please."  
  
"I will bring it to Prince Legolas' room. I was sent to fetch you, for he has awakened."  
  
"Thank you." Aragorn started to get dressed while Echuirdur went to fix the medicine. He forgot to warn the human before it was too late. He heard a soft thump and two cries of pain.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"ESTEL!"   
  
Stunned, Aragorn tried to get his fever-muddled mind to form a complete sentence. "What were you doing there?"  
  
"Sleeping! Wasn't that obvious?"  
  
"How was I supposed to know you were there?" That stopped the twins in mid-argument, for they could come up with no real response. Before they could formulate a reply Aragorn had pulled them off the ground. "Echuirdur says Legolas is awake, and I intend to see him. Are you coming?"  
  
As if in answer to his question, the twins tried to push past each other, each trying to reach Legolas' room first. Aragorn was winded by the time he caught up, but the elves were still trying to be the first to enter without letting the other push past him. Aragorn quietly slipped behind them. Focused solely on each other, they never noticed when he crawled between their legs.   
  
He greeted Elrond with a wry smile. "You may want to tell them to keep it down, Ada, for at this rate they will shake the walls."  
  
"I guess I should tell-" Elrond looked at Aragorn for a moment. "What did you call me?"  
  
"Ada? How else wold I address you?"  
  
"Estel?"  
  
"Yes." There was a bewildered tone in his voice. Aragorn was stunned when Elrond threw himself on his youngest son, holding him tightly. "Ada, are you all right?"  
  
"I thought it was you I was working on last night. I was so scared that I had lost you." Tears glistened in his eyes as he relived the whirlwind of emotions that had enveloped him the previous night.  
  
The moment was interrupted when they heard a vase crash in the hall, no doubt knocked over in Elladan and Elrohir's struggle. "I should probably break them up."  
  
"I think separate them for life might work better." Elrond left, closing the door behind him to shield Legolas and Aragorn from what was sure to be a long lecture for the twins.  
  
"Legolas," Aragorn softly called. He did not wish to disturb his friend if he was resting.  
  
"I'm awake, Estel. It's incredibly hard to sleep through the racket outside." Legolas offered a weak smile.   
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"A little sore, but it is not the worst wound I have received."   
  
Aragorn raised his eyebrow. "This is a habit we need to break. We can't keep bringing ourselves back to father like this."  
  
Legolas laughed. "You are probably right."  
  
The twins entered then, more subdued than usual. "What happened?" queried Aragorn.  
  
"Ada gave us the 'You Are More Noisy than a Herd of Oliphants' lecture along with the 'You Should Act Your Age' lecture. He also gave us 'the eyebrow'."   
  
"Oh no, not 'the eyebrow'," teased Legolas.  
  
In order to take out his frustration Elladan threw a pillow at the wall, where it exploded, showering them all with white feathers. Elrohir was laughing helplessly, leaning on Aragorn for support. Legolas was trying not to chuckle too hard at Aragorn's sneeze when the fluffy substance irritated his nose.   
  
"Elladan," a stern voice called from behind.   
  
"A-Ada," gulped Elladan.  
  
This only caused the others to laugh harder.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Over time, Legolas healed. Concurrently, Aragorn felt worse with each passing day. It soon came to a point where he could not leave his bed, for he felt so drained of energy.   
  
"You wouldn't want to trade places with me again, Legolas?"  
  
"And go through that again? Never! I honestly wish it was only a bad dream."  
  
"So do I. It was fun being an elf, but that glow of yours is annoying sometimes."  
  
A wise wizard stood in the entrance, eye's glistening with mischief.   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Ugh, my head is throbbing." Aragorn tried to sit up but he felt a firm yet gentle hand push him back down. "What happened?"  
  
"We returned home the other night and you had a high fever. It finally broke late last night."  
  
"We?"   
  
"You and I mellon nin," Legolas reminded him.   
  
"What about the twins?"  
  
"It was just us."   
  
Elrond looked worried about his son's memory. "Estel, rest. Maybe it will come back to you later."  
  
Aragorn tried to remember, finally putting pieces together. "I'm sorry. I was getting it confused with a strange dream that I had."  
  
"I'm going to get you something to eat, Estel. After that I expect you to go back to sleep." Elrond looked at Legolas, making sure that the elf understood that he was to let the human rest.  
  
"Yes, Ada."  
  
When Elrond left Legolas' curiosity got the better of him. "I had a strange dream last night too. What was yours about?"  
  
"I dreamed that we switched places, and then we lost our way while hunting with Elladan and Elrohir. Pretty farfetched, isn't it."   
  
"Amazing. I had the same dream."  
  
"Mine had Elladan and Elrohir trapping you and letting you hang from a tree."  
  
"Mine as well."   
  
"Do you think it wasn't a dream?"  
  
"Of course not. Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"  
  
Elrond interrupted by knocking on the door. "Estel, you wouldn't believe the dream I had last night..."  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"FOOL!" Saruman was furious. Sauron would have given him a great reward for the death of Isildur's heir, and his plans were ruined due to his subordinate's lack of care.   
  
"Master, please, I fired the arrow."   
  
"You should have stayed to make sure he died."  
  
"I thought he was dead."  
  
"You relied on the assumption that your aim was true. Never make that mistake again."  
  
"It would have hit the human if the cursed elf did not get in the way."  
  
"The elf shouldn't have mattered."   
  
The orc considered saying more, but the fear of his master's temper quieted him. When Saruman calmed a little, the orc found the courage to talk. "It was just a man. What difference will one weak human make?"  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Aragorn was finally allowed out of the house. The illness had run its course, leaving no permanent damage behind. The sunny weather was perfect for swimming, meaning that Legolas and Aragorn had tried the best to sneak out of the house without anyone noticing. Aragorn doubted his father would approve of such an activity so soon after he had recovered.  
  
They were removing their tunics and about to dive in when Aragorn noticed something strange.  
  
"Legolas, when did you get that scar?"  
  
Legolas looked down at his shoulder, seeing the slightly pink mark. "I do not know. I can't seem to recall injuring my shoulder."  
  
"It must be recent. I've never seen it before."  
  
"I first saw it after we returned from the hunting trip. I didn't injure myself, did I?"  
  
"I don't remember anything. It looks deep, like it was painful." Aragorn went into healer mode instantly. "It is too dark to be an old scar; it looks recently healed."  
  
"Perhaps it will always be a mystery."  
  
"Perhaps." Aragorn watched his best friend dive into the lake. "You know, in my dream you were shot with a poisoned arrow."  
  
"But it was only a dream." Yet, there was a hint of doubt in Legolas' voice.  
  
"You were shot in your dream too, weren't you?"  
  
"Yes. Do you think..."  
  
"No! It was just a dream." Aragorn jumped in, drenching the elf.  
  
"Just a dream," Legolas muttered to himself.  
  
The End  
  
Author's Notes: Finally, after so long a wait, I have finished! My first complete LotR fanfic. (And the first completed fanfic that I am somewhat willing to claim.) lol. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, especially those that offered continuous support. Your reviews really helped me finish this story.   
  
Deana: Thank you so much for always being there to encourage me. I looked forward to your reviews each time I posted. I know I haven't left many reviews (my browser doesn't allow pop-up windows) but your work is amazing. I was awed that you would want to read my fic after you were able to write such wonderful stories. You are truly a talented writer, and your reviews meant much more to me because they came from a person whose writing abilities are far greater than my own, and even greater than many authors whose works I have read. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!  
  
AAAclub: Thank you so much for your constant reviews. I'm glad you have enjoyed the story. Thanks for recommending me to your friends! I have enjoyed your reviews immensely, for they are the inspiration I use while writing.  
  
Websterans: Thank you so much for helping me with my writing while I wrote this fic. I am always trying to improve, and I had your suggestions in mind as I typed. Your compliment is one of the best I have ever received in my life.  
  
Lulu Bell: (I know it has been so long, you probably don't remember what you wrote, but know that I found it hilarious.) Poor Legolas. Why must you torture him by making him kick your computer? Don't you think I torture him enough? lol. Thank you for your bow. I may need it in the future, as Aragorn and Legolas are still pretty mad at me. (But I returned them, mostly, unharmed. Only a few scars.) Thank you so much for reviewing; checking my e-mail was the highlight of my day.  
  
Evenstar: I've never been able to find my story on fanfiction.net. (Ironic, isn't it?) Thank you for reviewing. The reviews really brightened my day.  
  
Butterflyer: Thank you so much for your constant reviews. They were what inspired me to continue writing.   
  
Kandice: Thank you so much! The way you summarized the chapter was funnier than what I had written myself. I was laughing so hard my brother thought I was crazy. (Not that he didn't already think so.)   
  
Jamie: Sorry about not updating soon, but remember that you won't have to worry about me writing evil cliffhangers until I come out with my next story. lol. Thank you so much for always reviewing. Your comments always gave me something to look forward to.  
  
Reverspots: Thank you for reviewing. : )  
  
Marbienl: Thank you so much for reviewing! I feel sorry for Aragorn too. If I had been able to be an elf, I'm not sure I would like to go back to being human either. But he does seem to be taking it rather well. (Aragorn glares at Christi. "No I'm not," he shouts.) He's still being a little stubborn. I don't think he likes me very much right now. Maybe I should torture him in another story?   
  
Aragorn: I'll be good. I promise. Just, please, no more fanfics.  
  
lol. Not that I didn't like Fror, but I'm glad i won' have to worry about him (or his axe) anymore. I can't afford to lose too much more sleep; I'm sleep deprived enough as it it is. I know you said Fror was gentle, but... (glances behind herself, where an angry dwarf is waiting for me to finish posting.) Besides, you're conspiring with the twins. It's not as if I don't have enough to worry about. lol. Thank you for reviewing. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!  
  
Shauna: Thank you so much for always reviewing. Your messages were so sweet, and they always made my day.  
  
Elven Kitten: lol. You're right. "Little" is not the word to be used when describing Elrond. Thank you so much for reviewing!  
  
Feagil: Thank you for reviewing.   
  
Zapperz: Thanks for reviewing.   
  
Frodo's Lady: Congratulations for guessing what I was going to do to Aragorn next. Crying I'm going to miss torturing him so much! lol. Thank you for reviewing. 


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